Dan A. D'Amelio

Dan A. D’Amelio, passed away peacefully at the age of 97, on July 9th, exactly 9 months after the passing of his loving wife Fanny D’Amelio. He was born December 5, 1927, in Acadia, Italy, to Francesco and Marianina D’Amelio. He came to America with his mother in 1929 to be with his father, who was already working here. Dan wore many hats in his long life: Special Education & music teacher, park officer, reporter, band leader/saxophone player, but at the heart of them all, he was a writer. He wrote books, plays, poems, magazine articles, children’s stories, and biographies, to name a few. Dan wrote for CBS News in New York City in the 1950s and for My Weekly Reader in the 1970s. Later in life, he started his own freelance writing business, Potenz Editorial, named after his mother’s maiden name. His books have been nominated for the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award, and he had received the Spur Award from the Western Writers of America and the Joseph DeAnglis prize. Besides his wife, Dan was predeceased by his parents and his sister Nellie Cirillo. Dan & Fanny were married for 67 years. He always considered his wife his “best editor”. Together, they made homes in East Islip & Smithtown, NY, Portland, CT, and most recently, in Yucaipa, CA. After retirement, they traveled the country together in their RV for five years, eventually settling in Yucaipa, CA. Dan was a staunch defender of his Italian heritage and often pointed out the great and positive contributions of Italian-Americans to this country. Left to mourn his loss and pray him to God’s heavenly Kingdom, are his brother Lucian (Kathryn), children Frank (Michelle), Deacon Dan (Kathy), Nina (Jim) Northrup, and Teresa, who took such loving care of both parents, grandchildren Frank, Nicole (Matt), Avery (Jesse), Andrew (Adriana), Colin, Laura, Sarah (Longkee), & Michael Daniel, and great-grandchildren, Chase, Beckett, Jude, Leora, Archer, Alden & Arie, and several nieces & nephews. Funeral arrangements will be private. In Dan’s honor, read a good book, write your story, and if you are among the lucky people to be Italian-American, be proud of your heritage.