Dr. Daniel Paul Garber

Daniel Paul Garber left this life on October 27th. Born in Beaver Falls, PA in 1943 he grew up with two major passions: music and literature. His favorite instrument was the trumpet. His family moved to Riviera Beach, Florida when he was 10; he graduated from Palm Beach High School. Later he acquired a B.A. in Music and an M.A in English. He was offered a teaching position at a four-year college in South Carolina, where he met his future wife. After 7 years both were accepted in the English Department as doctoral students at Idaho State University in Idaho Falls. After 3 years, Dan was hired as a technical writer at Idaho National Laboratory where he supported engineers and scientists In writing/explaining their work performed in nuclear reactors and other Department of Energy (DOE) programs. Both he and Reeta were then hired by Sandia National Laboratories in 1986. He supported the Company's President and his staff in producing Sandia's Institutional Plan and other high level communications for the Department of Energy. As a result, he received numerous Awards for Excellence and Recognition both from Sandia and the DOE.

Dan continued to practice his trumpet every week and formed a small band of like-minded musicians. They enjoyed many weekends at Dan's house, filling it with joyous sounds of laughter, missed notes, tall tales and camaraderie. During these times he and Reeta also traveled to many exciting destinations-some, like Hawaii, many times. 

Dan was a good man: smart, generous, thoughtful, considerate and hugely accomplished. He kept all of his residences immaculate, delighting repairmen, handymen etc. with his skills. Sadly, the last 10 years of Dan's life were spent in acute pain, due to spinal degenerative disease. After being treated unsuccessfully by local and Mayo Clinic physicians, he accepted his fate: a life of unending pain. And so, after 10 years, he decided to go to a better place. A poet, musician, teacher, brilliant conversationalist, admirer of nature, finally found eternity, devoid of pain and hopelessness. We will forever miss him. 

Irish Blessing
May The Road Rise Up To Meet You
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.