Courtney Robert “Dan” Daniels passed away in his home December 29, 2021. He was born February 19, 1920 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, to SK and Milda Daniels. He grew up in Mt Emmons/Altamont, Utah, with his sisters Virginia Rigby and June Hansen Mecham. He married Marian Fay Bolin in 1944 and had 8 children: Courtney Jr. “Danny” (Melinda), Peter (Tanya), Jonathan (Jacqueline), Mark (Sabrina), Michael (Cherie), Suann (Jerry), Sally (Lynn), Joseph (Natalie), 23 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and counting. He was preceded in death by Virginia, Marian, and two sons Peter and Mark.
While attending the University of Utah, Dan was attracted to a beautiful young student who he kept seeing on campus. With the help of his sister June, who just happened to know Marian Bolin from a gym class they attended together, a first date was arranged and that was the beginning of a wonderful loving relationship.
On December 8th 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Dan enlisted in the Army Air Corps and wanted to fly fighters defending his country. He was awarded pilot wings in 1943. All through his training and preparing to go to war he courted Marian through letters and visits anytime he could be in Salt Lake City.
They married Feb 12, 1944 and within months, Dan was assigned to the 34th Bomb Group in Mendlesham, England. He flew 26 combat missions, 17 missions as “Lead Pilot” leading the entire group of B-17 bombers, between November 1944 and April 1945.
After the war Dan completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Utah. In 1948 Dan answered the call to serve flying in the Berlin Airlift. He flew 155 missions supplying food, coal, and other supplies to the people of West Berlin.
Dan never had any animosity towards his previous enemy and always said that his best missions were when he was helping people.
From 1949 to 1953 Dan was in the U. S. Air Force Reserve and worked as a carpenter. In 1953 he was recalled to active duty during the Korean War as an instructor pilot in the B-29.
When the Korean War ended, he learned of a need to fly weather reconnaissance in the Pacific out of Guam and he decided to make serving in the Air Force his career. Dan moved his family all over the world for the next 14 years including 3 of those years stationed in Japan and Okinawa where his family stayed while he flew C-130’s in combat support missions during the Viet Nam War. His final assignment was at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Dan retired from the U.S Air Force in 1968 as a Lt. Colonel with over 9,000 hours flying many different aircraft.
Dan could not be idle so he continued working as a carpenter for the next 17 years. He loved to golf and his favorite time was early in the morning at Mountain Dell. In his 90’s he switched to Nibley Park because he still walked the course and it was an easier walk.
Dan was active in his ward and always helped wherever and whomever he could. He was sealed to his wife and family of eight children on their 30th wedding anniversary in the St George Temple, by the same man who originally married them. Dan loved his family and his neighbors.
A visitation will be held Sunday Jan 9th from 4:00 – 6:00 pm with Funeral Services Monday Jan 10th at 12:00 pm at the East Millcreek Ward building located at 2702 E. Evergreen Ave.
