Daniel Maxwell

“Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd,” were the refrains that were music to Dan Maxwell’s ears. An avid Detroit Tigers fan, Dan rooted for his team through good times and bad. Dan was a charismatic man who loved not only his sports, but his life, which he lived it to the fullest. He was a “jokester” who always saw the glass as half full. Daniel was a beloved husband, father, son, and brother who will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Dan’s story began on March 3, 1957 in Detroit, MI. With the end of WWII there was energy never before experienced, American industry expanded to meet peacetime needs. Americans began buying goods not available during the war, which created corporate expansion and jobs. The baby boom was underway. Harry and Marguerite (Burnett) Maxwell experienced this baby boom firsthand, with the birth of their third child; a son whom they named Daniel.

Daniel was a welcome answer to prayer for his older brother Mark, who so much wanted a younger brother. Dan had a great bond with his older two brothers, Tom and Mark. Being the youngest, Dan would tag along with his older brothers to places such as the ball field and on their paper routes. Mark and Dan would share a bedroom for much of their childhood and together they would get into innocent mischief when Mom and Dad were not home or had retired for the evening.

Dan grew up in Royal Oak, MI, a suburb of Detroit. Dan lived a rather ideal childhood on Lyons St. where he had many other children to play with. Dan’s love of baseball started during these years when during the summer months, many games were played. Dan made the perfect pitcher; small in stature, but with a great arm.

Dan was a very active, on-the-move boy who lived up to his nickname of “Cannonball,” after the television show because he was always on the move. Though the nickname did not stick, he did remain an on-the-move boy for the rest of his life.

Dan was destined to be a sports fan with two older brothers and a father who loved sports. He loved the Detroit Lions and especially the Detroit Tigers. He attended many baseball games at Tiger Stadium, and was a loyal fan whether his team won or lost. He was a collector of much sports memorabilia, but his most treasured collection were items from the 1968 Tigers.

Dan managed to shift the focus from sports to his studies when as a student he attended parochial school and went on to graduate from Shrine High School in 1975.

Dan was a true outdoorsman. He had a great sense of adventure which led him on several journeys. As a teenager, he and a friend took some bicycle trips throughout Michigan. He and another friend even took a trip out west to get a sense for a different part of the country. He didn’t require any of the creature comforts of home; an old, brown tent and a campfire suited him just fine. His idea of a perfect night was sleeping in his tent underneath the stars on the shore of one of the beautiful Great Lakes, with his Coleman grill, and of course what every camper must have; 10 McDonald’s cheeseburgers!

After graduating from high school, Dan attended Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, MI. After two years, he transferred to Western Michigan University, located in Kalamazoo. He loved all that beauty and adventure that the Upper Peninsula of Michigan had to offer, especially the shores of Lake Superior, but found Western to be a better fit for him.

Dan’s life changed drastically, when in 1994, he married a long –time acquaintance, named Karen Lukins, after the two had dated for a year. Not only did Dan gain a wife when he married Karen, but also a son named Trent, that she brought into the marriage with her. Dan loved Trent and treated him as his own. Dan and Karen were blessed with the birth of their son Parker, in 1996. Dan was known as a “cool dad,” who enjoyed hosting extra boys who came over to the house to play ball or just to hang out. His older boys, Jevin and Ryan made many happy memories playing ball and camping with their dad as well.

Dan was a great dancer and especially liked to dance to disco. There were many times at parties or wedding receptions that Karen would loan him out to burn up the dance floor with other ladies. He also enjoyed music of all kinds, but especially enjoyed the sounds of Motown, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson. He shared his love for music with his mother, when on a special occasion; he took her to a Tony Bennett concert.

Dan was a funny guy who loved to play practical jokes on others. He always had an optimistic attitude about life that he liked to share with others, which he was able to do through goofing around with people. His laughter was contagious and it always made him a joy to be around.

Unfortunately, this optimistic attitude was really difficult for Dan to uphold when he got knocked down by some tough times. In 2003, his mother died, and then just a short time later, he lost his job. Though he still smiled, that sparkle in his eye and his zest for life never quite returned in the same way. His fun-loving spirit was forever dampened by these trials that hit him so close together.

These weren’t the only tough times Dan experienced, however. In 2007, he was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma, which required intensive therapy that took a toll on him physically. The year 2008 brought a few more good months that Dan was able to enjoy with his family, but he again had lost his carefree love for life that had been part of his character for so many years.

Dan “Max” Maxwell was a bright spark in the lives of many people for many years. His sense of adventure was perfectly balanced by his genuine love for his family. He loved life and made sure that those around him did as well. He was a kind and gentle soul with beautiful blue eyes and a charismatic spirit which will be greatly missed by those he leaves behind.

Dan “Max” Maxwell died on Saturday, November 8, 2008, at Kairos Dwelling. Dan’s family includes; his wife Karen, sons Jevin (Katie) Weyenberg, Ryan Goulette, Trent, and Parker Maxwell, His father Harry Maxwell and two brothers: Tom(Patricia) Maxwell and Mark (Sherry) Maxwell. Other members of his family include his father and mother in-law, David and Darlene Lukins, a brother-in-law David (Judy) Lukins and two sisters-in-law Renee(Dean) Callahan and Connie (Ron) Kandell. He was preceded in death by his mother Marguerite in 2003

Visit with Dan’s family and friends and share light refreshments on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 from 4-7 pm. at Rupert, Durham, Marshall, & Green Life Story Funeral Home - Portage, MI, 5975 Lovers Lane (344-5600).

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, at the Portage First United Methodist Church.

Please visit Dan’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial donation to Kairos Dwelling.