Obituary: Daniels, Dean Edward
You could leave your bike on the lawn all night and it would still be there in the morning, moms baked cookies for all of the neighborhood kids, on Sunday morning all of the dads would put out the American flag on the parking strip, and at Christmas every yard had a lighted tree.
Life has been good to Dean and Walnut Street was a great place to grow up.
Dean Edward Daniels was born in Ontario, Oregon on May 15, 1939 to Joseph and Dorothy Daniels.
He spent the first four years of his life in Payette, Idaho, surrounded by many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Because of the war, the family moved to Spokane, WA to secure employment.
Dean and his mom traveled back and forth from Spokane to Payette on the train while his dad was a railway time inspector.
He attended Roosevelt Elementary School and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1957.
During this time he was an active member of OBC (Orange & Black Social Club) was on the football team that won a state championship, and became an avid and accomplished snow skier.
Dean’s education continued as he joined the Marines and served his country for six years.
Following this, he graduated from EWC in business and was a sales representative for Colgate-Palmolive, S&P Meats, and W.O.
Doons, a frozen food broker.
He then became the executive vice president of the Spokane Board of Realtors.
In 1989 Dean returned to school at EWU to become a teacher.
He was hired by the Wellpinit School District as the alternative education teacher and worked there for 10 years.
In 2001 he was given the Gift of Life.
An unknown donor gave him a kidney because he had been diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease.
This gift proved a chance for Dean and his wife Gail to travel to Europe.
It was a trip of a lifetime for Dean to share with Gail because he had spent a year in Europe in his early 20s.
After retirement Dean started fly fishing and woodworking.
He spent many afternoons in the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River and many hours creating projects in his woodshop.
He loved spending time at the family cabin on Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Swimming, boating, reading on the dock, and playing with the grandkids were the best part of summer.
Dean was a Christian man and was a member of the Reardan United Methodist Church.
His faith in God reminded him many times that we’re not in charge of our lives and God has a special plan for all of us.
He was a member of Spring Creek Grange, on the Reardan City Council, Reardan Athletic Booster Club, Spokane Club, and a former member of the Downtown Rotary Club.
Dean is survived by his wife Gail; sons Chad (Cami) Daniels of Moscow, Idaho, Craig Daniels of Jackson, Wyoming, Joseph (Sara) Holwegner of Spangle, Washington; and daughter Jacqueline (Beau) Hedrick of Sitka, Alaska; granddaughter Emma Holwegner; and grandsons David Daniels, Ryan Daniels, Ben Hedrick, Brayden Hedrick, and Carson Holwegner.
Also mother-in-law Mary Jane Krupke; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Steve and Cheryl Krupke; niece Lindsay Krupke; nephew Nathan (Amy) Krupke, and several cousins in the Payette, Idaho area.
Special thanks to the Coeur d’Alene Dialysis Center and Hospice of Spokane.
A memorial service will be held on January 3, 2015 at the Reardan United Methodist Church in Reardan at 11:00 am.
Memorials can be sent to the United Methodist Church, P.O.
Box 186, Reardan, WA 99029, Reardan Fire and Rescue, P.O.
Box 295, Reardan, WA, or Spokane Toys for Tots.