Daniel “Dan” Fred Mastrean, 86, of Ellerslie, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was raised in Foley, Alabama, in the Presbyterian faith by his mother, grandmother, and uncle.
He attended Foley High School, where he excelled in athletics, earning varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track. Dan went on to receive full football scholarships to Pearl River Junior College and the University of Southwestern Louisiana, where he was honored as both an All-American and an All-Gulf States Conference player. He was inducted into the Foley High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Pearl River Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
In 1962, Dan entered the United States Army. While attending Officer Training School at Fort Benning, Georgia, he met the love of his life, Gloria Culpepper. After a brief four-month courtship, they married before being stationed in Germany and remained devoted to each other for 62 years. Dan served his country with distinction as a Captain and helicopter pilot in combat during the Vietnam War.
After leaving the Army, Dan spent 25 years as a business executive, beginning at Kinnett Dairies and retiring from Lanier Worldwide. In 1979, the family relocated to Houston, Texas, where they lived for two decades before returning to the Columbus area in 2000. His career gave him and Gloria the opportunity to travel extensively, exploring many countries together. Dan enjoyed golf, bass fishing, making his yard beautiful, growing vegetables, and caring for the many beloved pets they welcomed over the years. A member of the Country Club of Columbus, Dan played golf and cards multiple times a week for many years with his regular group of friends and was known to shoot his age in his 70s. In more recent years, he was a familiar face at the Men’s Grill on Fridays—always arriving by 11 a.m. sharp for seafood gumbo.
Of all his accomplishments, Dan was most proud of his beloved wife, Gloria, and their two daughters, Dannell and Michele. He was a steady, guiding presence in their lives, and it didn’t take long in conversation to see just how much he loved them. Dan was known for his strength, courage, and tenacity throughout his life—but never more so than in his decades-long battle with leukemia and skin cancer, illnesses caused by his exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. He defied the odds for over 25 years, facing each challenge with determined resilience.
Dan was preceded in death by his mother, Elizabeth Heilmeier Mastrean; his father, Fred C. Mastrean; and his sister, Diana Mastrean Anderson. He is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Gloria Culpepper Mastrean; daughters Dannell (Tom) Marks and Michele Mastrean; granddaughters Mary Taylor “Mattie” Marks and Elizabeth Culpepper “Pepper” Marks; and sister-in-law Peggy Culpepper, along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Macon Road Chapel, followed by a graveside service at Parkhill Cemetery. The family will receive visitors at the funeral home one hour prior to the service and will host a reception at their home in Ellerslie following the graveside gathering.
Pallbearers will include nephews Len Miller and Rob Batchelor; friends Al Taylor, Derek Patterson, David Ward Jr. and David Beall.
Dan will be greatly missed and forever remembered by all those who knew and loved him. All expressions of sympathy, including flowers, cards, and donations to Paws Humane Society in his honor, are welcome.
