A resident of Fountain Inn since 1983, Dan and his wife, Terrell, live in the house he built 34 years ago. Their cherished family are three grown children and their spouses (Christopher and Kelly; Jonathan and Kelly; Lara and Adam) and six grandchildren (Cyrus and Claire Tracy; Madelyn and Ella Tracy; Emma and Dana Caldwell).
Dan attended North Carolina State University on a ROTC scholarship and then spent 10 years in the US Army. During that time he was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Benning, Georgia; Viet Nam and Cambodia; The Defense Language School in DC; Munich, Germany; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; and Redstone Arsenal, In Alabama.
As an infantry officer (Captain) in Vietnam (1969-1970), Dan’s service involved the Sanctuary Counteroffensive and the Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VII.
In 1972, he was the recipient of an Olmsted Scholarship, which is awarded to highly qualified, active-duty, junior officers in the US military providing language studies and overseas graduate-level education. After mastering German, Dan studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich. After his study in Munich, the Army sent him to NC State University to complete a Masters degree in Product Design.
After leaving the military in 1979, he was the Engineering Manager at Bode Corporation in Spartanburg until he retired in 2010. While at Bode, he designed the doors for the monorail at Disney World.
In June 2021, he was awarded a Quilt of Valor with all of his family present for the presentation. A Quilt of Valor is a quality, handmade quilt that is awarded to a service member or Veteran who has been touched by war. The Quilt says unequivocally: “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.”
One of Dan’s special hobbies is woodworking; he has built 14 wooden boats (kayaks, surf yaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards), plus a wooden cradle boat for each of his grandchildren. He also enjoys being with his grandchildren, riding his e-bike and working on his cars.
E-biking at Santee State Park
Dan and Grandchildren enjoying Dollywood
Dan paddling the skin-on-frame kayak he built
Grandkids enjoying Dan's boats
The family at Fripp Island
Receiving a Quilt of Valor
With his wife, Terrell
Family
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