Daniel Ezell

A funeral service for Daniel will be held Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 11:30 AM at Schwartz Brothers-Jeffer Memorial Chapels, 114-03 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills, NY 11375. Following the funeral service will be a committal service at 1:00 PM at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, 7800 Myrtle Ave, New York, NY 11385.

Daniel Ezell, beloved friend and teacher died at home in February 2025. Dan was born in Mississippi and raised by his parents, Dorothy Ann and Cecil Earl of blessed memory.

In 1969, Daniel graduated from Vidalia High school in Louisiana. He went on to earn degrees from Evangel College in Springfield, MO (BS in Education/Music, 1973) and Hunter College (MA in Music Education, 1995).

Daniel became a teacher so he could share his love for music with young people. Daniel taught Junior and Senior High School for over 25 years in Washingtonville, NY and East Rockaway, NY. He was an extraordinary vocal music director for musicals and worked on shows at Washingtonville Junior High School, East Rockaway Junior/Senior High School and St. John’s University in Queens. In between his years of teaching, he also worked at Deloitte and Goldman Sachs.

He was quite prolific, and his writings included a series of plays, a young adult novel, a one act musical and two full musicals, Club of Queens and 41 Minutes.

Daniel was born into a Christian family but converted to Judaism in his forties. He felt that Judaism found him after looking up his ancestors on a trip to Italy and it became a major part of his life and way of being.

Daniel loved classical music, movies, playing the piano and attending musicals. His favorite composer was Bach, and his favorite singers were Karen Carpenter and Barbra Streisand. (His college nickname was Streis.) Dan also loved the Ray Conniff Singers, Liberace and the music of Michel Legrand. His favorite films included The Godfather, The Sound of Music, The Bourne Identity and Cabaret. And his favorite musicals were Pippin and Hello, Dolly.

Daniel had a great sense of humor and never missed a moment to insert a witty comment, even in the most serious of situations.

Daniel is survived by his siblings Becky Julkenbeck and Marilyn Norfleet.

Daniel was close with his sister Becky who kept him up to date with what was happening at home while Daniel shared his adventures in NY with her. Daniel’s dearest friends include Karen Barone, Shari Berman Stephanie Brightman, Dan Crain, D.B. Gilles, Patti Gugglielmo, Peter Knudson, Mikey Rio, Neil (Sr) and Theresa Schloth, Dr. Augustine E. Tornatore, Mary Volino, Anthony Weber and Rosalie Wolvek. Daniel also maintained close relationships with many of his students and their parents, including Tommy Barone, Beth Bernstein, Nicholas Caccavo, Siobhan and Tara Connor, Anthony DePalma, Tom Dwyer, Jaime Hastings, Brian Klose, Danny Quadrino, Christopher Scagnelli, Jonathan and Neil (Jr) Schloth, and Joshua Warner. These friends and students became his extended family.