Jeffrey Ernest Danes

in 1949 to Louis and Margaret Danes in Santa Monica. He lived his young life in Southern California, going to Community College before attending San Jose State University and earning a Bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Communication. At San Jose State he met Katherine Davis, whom he married in 1970. They shared 46 year together, starting married life in San Jose where their first son Nathan Jeffery was born in 1973. Jeff was encouraged by his professors to go to graduate school at Michigan State University where he earned a PhD in 1976; his second son Eric Allen was born that same year. After graduation he taught Communication at the University of Connecticut, where his third son Mark Louis was born in 1978, just before moving to Blacksburg, Va. to teach at Virginia Tech. While in Va. Jeff earned early tenure and published in top journals of Marketing and Communication. In 1986 the ocean and mountains and extended family beckoned Jeff's return to California, where he was a professor of Marketing at Cal Poly. Jeff retired with 30 service years during which he became involved in the community and his church. He continued to teach after retirement and loved the excitement of introducing new ideas and concepts to his students. He was always an innovator and thrived in the field of research and development. He was quite talented in mathematics. His favorite book was an old Calculus textbook he found at a Goodwill store while in High School. Marriage and family life were very important to Jeff. He was an encourager to everyone in his family, focusing on the positive and finding the good in each life. His favorite holiday was Thanksgiving when he and Kathy would host family and friends. Jeff enjoyed trying different ways to cook or flavor the turkey (some successes and some failures) and he took pleasure in being with those he loved. Thanksgiving dinner ended with board games and music, especially as his grand- daughters Anya Katherine and Avery Elle began to play instruments. Upon his retirement he returned to guitar playing and wore out his Bob Dylan songbook. Jeff loved to laugh and his ability to see the humor in almost any situation will be missed by his family and many friends. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:00 pm, Saturday, June 17, 2017, at The First Presbyterian Church in San Luis Obispo. The family suggests memorial contributions be sent to Cal Poly Cares Fund which supports students with sudden and urgent needs for college expenses. Please make checks to Cal Poly Foundation, Cares Fund (MH220) and "In Memory of Jeffrey Danes" in the memo, mail to Office of Planned Giving, University Development, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0444. Sign his guestbook at sanluisobispo.com/obituaries Published in San Luis Obispo Tribune on June 11, 2017