Always entertaining and charming since childhood, Dan had a way of lighting up a room and bringing everyone together by strumming on a guitar, playing the piano or dressing up as Santa for the little ones. Being the “little” brother did not diminish his creative story-telling talents. In fact, baby Danny would begin his tales with “when I was big and you were little” . . . Too cute. Need I say more!!! We grew up as adventurous children and spent lots of unsupervised time outdoors. He always rose to the occasion playing pickup baseball, softball, kickball, building shacks in the woods, and fearlessly experimenting with the limits of his young body . . . charging through glass storm doors (unscathed, I might add), sliding across coffee tables, and pretending to like the taste of soap when he got punished for getting a bit sassy. Yes, our mom made us wash our mouth’s out with soap. (Gasp!).

Adulthood ushered in DIY Dan, undaunted by the scope of a project and always eager to help. A new roof on my sister’s old Victorian House, no problem; tethered to my brother-in-law, he helped tar the roof (and himself) with glee; a deck added to a house, a closet under the stairs, a stone wall to create a charming landscape, and so much more.

The limits of this space cannot contain the life of Dan, our brother, father, cousin and friend. I have so many happy memories of this larger-than-life figure who worked hard, loved and protected his family and was taken too soon. May his memory live on in all of us with all of the love, protection and caring that it contained.  

So sorry for your loss. Dan was a great father and husband. Loved his family more than life itself. I’ll always remember how happy Dan was when playing his guitar or being captain of the boat with his girls and wife around him. God bless all of you!