Daniel Ray Gilley

Dan lost his battle with pulmonary fibrosis Wednesday morning, August 30, at the age of 73. He was a joy to be around with his easy-going manner and gentlemanly ways. Dan is survived by his wife of 41 years, Carol, who misses him terribly. He was also beloved by his siblings: Faye Morrill (& husband Michael), Arthur Gilley, Rhonda Millen (& husband David), Ronnie Gilley and William Fuoco, as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Dan always had a love of music: playing drums in his father’s country-western band while in high school and writing many songs, many of which were created while he spent hours mowing the grass on our property in the boonies. His songs were sometimes sentimental, sometimes humorous and sometimes on iTunes.

Dan worked hard to retire early. At the age of 52, he and Carol retired to enjoy the fruits of their labors with a focus on travel. He planned many excellent road trips all across the country with a focus on the National Parks. He and Carol loved to hike the trails, and if there were ever a mountain nearby, Dan wanted to climb to the top. Carol always said he was part mountain goat. In 2012, Dan and Carol started their over-seas trips to: France, the UK, Italy and Ireland. During these retirement years, Dan and Carol also met several people who shared their love of dancing, both country-western and ballroom. They called themselves the “Red River Crew” after the local honky-tonk where they would meet every Friday night until it closed. Life was to be enjoyed, and Dan tried his best to do just that.