Together, with his brothers and his parents, Founders, George Will Dye and Edna Mae Dye, Don L. Dye created the largest family held co-educational school system in the United States. He was born in Iowa and moved to North Hollywood, California in 1935. He attended North Hollywood High School, Los Angeles Valley College, and then UCLA. He served in the United States Army, married Bobbi, his wife of 49 years, and had two children, Jeri and Donnelle. Over the years, he and Bobbi served on various philanthropic boards in the San Fernando Valley, and more recently, he was a Captain in the reserves for the El Monte Police Department.

Over the span of five decades, Don, and his brothers, Robert and Philip opened and operated fourteen private schools in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Pinecrest Schools now serves Southern California families throughout eleven campuses and 33 programs. Mr. Dye was very proud that the schools were accredited through the National Independent Private School Association, and that the Thousand Oaks campus became a 2003 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School recipient.

Mr. Dye worked in his Sherman Oaks office up until the day he passed away. His love for family was deep, and his idea of “vacation” was spending time at home with his wife, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughter. He rarely left Pinecrest for more than a few days. He enjoyed driving around to the schools, visiting the children, walking the grounds, and continually desiring to build more campuses. He loved Starbucks coffee, Jazz Music, the Civil War stories, Intellectual Debates, Hollywood Trivia, Western Art, and Golden Retrievers.

He will be greatly missed by those in many different sectors of his community. His vibrant personality and generous spirit will be remembered by all of us. A Memorial Service is planned for July 29, 2006 at Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills. A private family gathering will follow the ceremony.

He is survived by his wife Bobbi, daughters and sons-in-laws, Jeri Dye Lynch, Mark Lynch, Donnelle Dye Juelsson and Staffan Juelsson, grandsons, Conor, Riley and Parker Lynch, and Gunnar Juelsson, along with granddaughter, Greta Juelsson, and his nephew Sean Dye.