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Dan passed away on October 25, After a long painful fight against Pancreatic
Cancer. Dan lived with his loving wife Flo, in La Quinta, California.
Although he was born on the East Coast and most of his family still lives there,
he loved living in the California Desert. Dan loved working on his Jeeps, Dodge
trucks and his Motorhomes. He enjoyed doing remodeling on his home, had a great
career in Electronics and as a Commercial Construction Project Manager, I talked
to him many times about some of his construction jobs, I could tell he was a
very dedicated, hard working, honest and trust worthy person. He loved his work
and his hobbies.
Dan and Flo came to the first FC Roundup in 2004, They came here in their big
converted MCI Motor Coach / Motor home, they attended almost all of the previous
annual events, until he got sick. I will always remember Dan, because it
could be really cold and he would always wear sports shorts, he was always so
full of happy energy, he was another Eveready bunny.
The FC Roundup name tags of first event included, Dan #14 and Flo #15, the first
event was also attended by another VIP, who also became a historical addition to
our FC Roundup and all other FC Events. The visitor they brought with them, and
introduced to all of us, was a very important Celebrity, MARIAH the Traveling
Bear. She was unforgettable, wearing a zebra print swimsuit. Many of you
have been most fortunate to have had the opportunity to be visited, by the hitch
hiking Mariah, She became notorious because after every FC Roundup, she secretly
turns up, as a stow away packed inside of an FC-Owners truck, she has gone coast
to coast, and from Texas to Canada.
Over the years Andrea & I became very good friends with Flo and Dan, and I think
they became friends to all the people that have come here to our event. I
will always remember the other times that Dan and Flo came here and visited,
they were here during a Thanksgiving weekend, Dan drove us for a ride in the big
MCI Bus, he drove it like it was a sportscar, I wasn't scared, but it was quite
a thrill to Andrea and I to go for a cruise with them. I will never forget how
he was so genuinely happy and excited about everything.
Dan had a collection of FC-170s, I was able to go on a road trip with Dan and
Flo, to look at an FC-150 that he bought for Flo, a nice wide track project, it
was located in the California high desert, I was able to get to know more about
them on that trip. It was so obvious, how much he loved Flo, and how they shared
the same love of FCs.
Some of you were here at the FC Roundup, when Dan and Flo brought the beautiful
blue and white, restored FC-170 DRW it had the big flags on it and open stacks,
I briefly drove that truck, to move it around here in the yard, what a nice
smooth flathead 226 in that truck. That was just before he got sick, who would
have known, that it would have been his last.
I know you had to be here to feel and see an emotional, unforgettable moment,
when Dan, helped Bill K. into Craig's Tour Jeep, for one last ride. We
will all miss Dan a lot. People like Dan, make it easy for me to
understand, how I can gain another a best friend that I only had to meet one
time, to know they are for keeps.
Jesse Ybarra
Phoenix, AZ
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