Dan was born in Chicago, IL USA October 30, 1953 into an Evangelical Christian family. He had a three-year old sister, Janet(me), anxiously awaiting her baby brother's arrival. The family attended the Immanuel Evangelical Covenant Church every Sunday through his childhood and he accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord of his life in his teen years.
Dan attended Hibbard Elementary School, Von Steuben Upper Grade Center, and North Park Academy for high school, finishing up at Von Steuben High School when North Park closed. He played on the football team at North Park for a time, though he admitted reluctantly that he mostly kept the bench warm.
Dan attended an Assembly of God church in his young adult years and sang in their choir. He was also a part of the Jesus People for a time. He especially loved to help care for the toddlers in the nursery at church and often told stories of cute things they did and how he enjoyed them so much.
He never married and had few serious girlfriends. He said it was because he was too analytical, and I think it was also because he wanted to succeed in marriage and only wanted a Christian woman for his wife. He was a bit shy early on in life, did not socialize much, and stopped attending church when his congregation moved outside the city to a new location. But he had some very good friendships with women and kept them up, over the years and across distances as far as all the way to Japan, as well as, in the his last couple of years, online.
Dan worked first at a die cutting company and then became an insurance agent, selling policies over the phone. He continued in the insurance business till shortly before he passed away.
Never having married, Dan lived at home. His father died at 50 years of age in 1976 and his brother (10 years his junior) died at 35 years of age. His older sister married in 1973 and had three children who Dan enjoyed. In the latter years, his mother was not well and he cared for her until she died.
Dan loved fishing, miniature golf, bird watching (informally), singing and food. Once he found he was good at playing pool that became his favorite activity and where he made many friendships.
Dan's heart was not strong. Before he passed away he was in the hospital and the doctors talked of a heart transplant, but he didn't stay around for that. The Lord took him home while he was still in the hospital, one day before his 50th birthday.
Dan left his sister, Janet, his nephews, Tony and Manuel, his niece, Eliza, and two great-nephews, Joaquin and Joshua. He also left many good friends who will miss him. The great promise that God gives us of a home in Heaven after this life is over is a great source of peace for his family. And the knowledge that one day they will all be reunited in Jesus' presence is their comfort and joy.