Daniel Prater Browning of Southlake, Texas, lived a full and connected life until his death on November 24, 2019 at age 66. Born in Beaumont, Texas on January 4, 1953, he was a character, and proudly so, wearing his heart on his sleeve. He loved to philosophize, and often said that “The height of one’s joy is equal to the depth of their sorrow.” He knew both, and one was never left guessing as to where he was at any particular moment.
Dan was passionate in his relationships. He loved his wife, children and grandchild with abandon and dedicated himself wholly to their security, success and happiness. He and his sister were each other’s closest confidants, and he could infuriate her like no one else. His brother was his idol who he talked to at least weekly, and tried to emulate daily. His nieces and nephews sought out his advice and liked to tease him about always calling family time “so special.” His “in-laws” were like additional blood-relatives to him – brothers and sisters who he loved with an energy that changed the fabric of their family. His friends knew him, not superficially, but deeply. Even his clients considered him part of their family, like a crusty, lovable, crazy brother/uncle. He relished this role.
“Can’t never Will” was Dan’s personal motto. He had an inquisitive mind and uncanny ability to learn and do whatever he set his mind to, from a very young age. He was self-taught & accomplished in mechanics, electronics and computer science. He built his first personal computer in 1975, following instructions in Popular Electronics magazine.
Dan started his first family at a young age. When presented with an opportunity to rise from a young factory worker, to manufacturer sales rep overnight, he grabbed on with both hands and created his own success. Then, in his twenties, Dan started his first business, creating audio/visual multimedia presentations for corporate and government clients.
During a period of re-inventing himself, Dan worked as a yacht broker in Florida. On one particularly harrowing sail in 30-foot waves, he took a full knock-down while strapped to the top of the mast. This was one of several defining moments in his life where he conquered fear. Perhaps this gave him the courage to start his second family a few years later.
Dan taught himself data-base programming, creating a yacht-base on a Commodore 64 computer with a program called Superbase. Less than five years later, he became President of Precision, Inc. the publisher of Superbase in the U.S. and was instrumental in launching the program for the “new” MS Windows operating system. In this position, he partnered with Microsoft to include the program in a contract with the U.S. armed forces.
With the sale of the company, Dan enjoyed a temporary retirement and the births of his two youngest children. He then applied his entrepreneurial drive to a new-found hobby to form a small business importing and distributing small engines for radio control (RC) airplanes, and traveled to various competitions around the country. His sales abilities were far greater than his flying skills, and the RC community affectionately nicknamed him “Crash.”
Dan returned to corporate IT for a few years in the early 2000’s. Realizing his desire to be his own boss, he began taking on clients for IT consulting and Network Administration and found his niche serving mostly small medical offices. Solely by word-of-mouth, his business grew to 15 clients over the years, and he served them with fierce dedication. Retirement was something he considered but could not fully embrace, even during several battles with cancer.
Though not religious, Dan always felt a sense of serendipity in his life, and attributed this to a spiritual presence he could not define or fit into any dogma. A specific experience convinced him that something wonderful awaited him after this life, and for those who preceded him in death, including beloved sister Paula R. Walsh and niece Shannon C. Walsh, loving parents Prater Paul and Sadie Ruth, salt-of-the-earth grandparents Robert J. Conner and Bessie Rawls Conner, first wife Patricia L. Shaw Davidson, mother in-law Catherine E. Walsh, father in-law David M. Walsh, brothers in-law Brian E. Wilson, John D. Walsh and William E. Robinson, and nephews Matthew E. Wilson and Patrick A. Robinson.
He will always be held in the hearts and memories of those he is survived by, including wife Margaret (Peggy), children Casey L. Browning Simpson (Steve), Alexandra (Ali), Paul (Priscila), grandchild Katelyn M. Simpson, brother Robert C. (Sarah), brothers and sisters in-law William J. Walsh (Charlotte/Vicki), Kathleen M. Walsh Wilson, Michael F. Walsh, Patricia M. Walsh, Daniel T. Walsh, David T. Walsh, nephews and nieces Brent A. Walsh (Nida Januskis), Jesse (Jessica), Jennifer, Jessica Parker (Lance), Brian E. Wilson (Lori), Michelle L. Wilson, David H. Robinson (Jennie), Peter D. Walsh, Nicole L. Walsh, Joseph D. Walsh, and many great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.
Dan always said he was the luckiest man in the world. A celebration of his life will be held in both Dallas and Chicago. His advice to us all would be “Go with the Flow” and have some F-U-N!
Those wishing to make a gift in Dan’s name may want to consider one of the following organizations:
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
U.T. Southwestern Medical Center (designated to Simmons Cancer Center Support Services)
Carter BloodCare
Additionally, the family encourages all who are able, to consider donating blood platelets. They hope to replenish the supply that Dan gratefully received during his treatments, and then some, as there is an ongoing nationwide shortage.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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