Daniel Louis Cristofani

Daniel Louis Cristofani, M.D., 63 Oct. 05, 1947 July 09, 2011 Daniel Louis Cristofani was born into an Italian household in San Francisco. His father, Lido Cristofani, immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager and married his high school sweetheart, Rose Cavallero, a child of Italian immi-grants. Daniel spoke Italian in early childhood and enjoyed the company and cuisine of a large extended family, including his grandparents, Mario and Emma Cristofani, and Luigi and Virginia Cavallero. His sister, Virginia, was born four years later. Daniel loved camping and hiking with his family, especially in Yosemite. He enjoyed coin and stamp collecting and playing with his chemistry set and electric trains. He was a Boy Scout, earning the rank of Eagle. As a teenager, he rode a black Vespa (and later a Ducati), wore black and was called "The Black Knight" by classmates. He attended Stanford University and enjoyed studying abroad at the Stanford campus in Florence, where he improved his Italian and developed a love of Renaissance art. After graduating in 1971, he married fellow Stanford student, Cynthia Beall, and they moved to Washington, D.C., to enter Georgetown University Medical School. There he discovered a true passion for Ob-Gyn, and completed his internship and residency. He and Cindy then moved to her home state of Oregon, where Daniel had vowed to live after visiting as a child. Daniel entered private practice in obstetrics, which he called "the happy specialty." He was passionate about his life's work. He was devoted to patient care and scheduled vacations around his patients' due dates. His office wall was covered with photos of "his" babies and their smiling mothers. Daniel took great pride in his two wonderful children, Daniel Beall Cristofani (born 1977) and Karen Beall Cristofani (born 1980). He was especially happy that both settled in Portland, where he could continue to enjoy their company as adults. Despite his busy professional life, Daniel pursued a variety of hobbies. He developed a passion for fine wines, especially Burgundy, Barolo and Barbaresco. He became a gourmet cook and enjoyed gathering wild mushrooms and growing his own vegetables. He was a skilled woodworker, loved steam trains and read avidly, particularly about politics and cosmology. He also enjoyed the beloved family dogs, Sunny and Twinkle, and maintained multiple saltwater and freshwater aquaria. Multiple Sclerosis forced him to retire from medicine in 2000, but he kept himself busy by taking Italian and art history classes. Later, he found a second calling in canine therapy. He and the family's Miniature Schnauzer, Jack, completed training and visited psychiatric, pediatric and oncology patients. He was also an active member of Cascade Canine Crisis Response, offering support to victims of acute crises. Daniel was an intellectual who knew a little bit about everything. He was outspoken and feisty. He had a delightfully wry sense of humor and a quip for every situation. He had a big heart and doted on the people and animals he loved. Daniel died peacefully in his sleep. He touched many lives, and he will be dearly missed. Daniel is survived by his wife, Cynthia; their children, Daniel and Karen and their partners, Erika Swiberg and Aaron Gressett; sister, Virginia; and her children, Daniel Dias and Michael Dias. A celebration of Daniel's life will be held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 24, 2011, at the Tualatin Hills Nature Park in Beaverton. Those who wish to honor him are invited to share memories and comfort. Remembrances may be sent to Miniature Schnauzer Rescue (Portland), Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility or The Nature Conservancy.

Arrangements under the direction of Pegg, Paxson & Springer Funeral Chapel, Beaverton, OR.