Daniel Richard Lopez

To Daniel Richard Lopez, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Daniel, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Daniel really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Daniel was born on April 24, 1977 at Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina, California. His parents were Lorenzo and Helen Lopez. Daniel was raised in La Puente, California. Even as a child, Daniel had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Daniel was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Daniel managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Daniel was raised with seven siblings. He had five brothers, Lorenzo, Andy, Robert, Michael and Steven and two sisters, Diana and Eilleen.

All of Daniel's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Daniel experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in baseball. In his spare time he liked to watch the Dodgers play baseball.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Daniel was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Daniel simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Daniel, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Daniel's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Daniel graduated from La Puente High School in 1995. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was woodshop.

Daniel never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Daniel to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Daniel delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Daniel was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Daniel utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Alan Aguilar and Victor Aramburo. Daniel loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Daniel very easy to approach. On November 22, 1998 Daniel exchanged wedding vows with Sylvia Lopez at Candle Light Wedding Chapel of Las Vegas, Nevada. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Daniel related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Daniel was blessed with eight children, two sons, Daniel and Joseph and six daughters, Danni, Bibi, Paris, Patience, Cuddles and Happi. Daniel had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Daniel's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Daniel had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Daniel was a real “people person. ” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Daniel liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Daniel was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Daniel's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Daniel as an excellent problem solver. He was employed by Rooter Rooter Plumbing and the La Puente School District Maintenance Dept.

Daniel enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Daniel liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were watching baseball games and finding parts and restoring his old truck. Daniel was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Daniel felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Daniel loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Daniel relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Daniel never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Daniel played baseball. Daniel was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were Dodger baseball.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Daniel recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Living life in the fast lane suited Daniel just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included camping in Yosemite National Park.

Daniel was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Daniel's favorites was Bear, a Chow Chow dog. They were best friends for 2 years. His family was rounded out by his three cats, Diana, Meowser and Marbles.

Daniel passed away on January 14, 2011 at Citrus Valley Medical Center. He is survived by his wife Sylvia, and his eight children, Daniel, Joseph, Danni, Bibi, Paris, Patience, Cuddles and Happi. Services were held at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Daniel brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Daniel Richard Lopez lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.