Daniel, Dan as he was known to his friends, was born July 18, 1950 in Columbus, Ohio, to Preston Ballard French (94) and Kathleen Henrietta (Altenbach) French (deceased) and was the oldest of seven children. Dan graduated from Bishop Hartley High School in 1968 and did his undergraduate at Northwood College in Cedar Hill, Texas on a football scholarship. He later would earn his MBA from University of Texas at San Antonio.
Dan married Martha Jane (Coffman) French in June 1973. Dan followed in his father's footsteps to pursue a career in Real Estate. Once he became involved in the development side of the profession, he was "bitten by the deal bug". He was known for his tenacity, outside of the box thinking and had a real talent in getting the deal closed. Dan followed his passion all across the country, from Ohio, to South Carolina, Texas, Florida and North Carolina.
After years of success in developing, Dan ventured into the affordable housing world and really found his passion. He believed that everyone, regardless of income, deserved access to safe, decent and affordable housing. He further believed in merging the private sector with a charitable mission. With that mission in mind, Dan established Atlantic Housing Foundation (AHF) in 1999, a 501(c)(3) corporation which continues to grow and succeed. AHF has over 10,000 units and has awarded over $17 million in housing and tuition scholarships. AHF has worked with other charitable organizations to provide housing to victims of domestic violence, natural disasters, Wounded Warriors and various community groups. Some of the programs he valued most include the after school tutoring, nutrition programs, computer literacy, and English as a second language. Throughout his real estate career he served on many boards such as the Texas Affordable Housing Congress and the Community Advisory Committee of Bank One, NA., San Antonio. He received numerous accolades and awards for his charitable spirit and desire to make a difference to the communities he both resided in and served.
Outside of work, Dan had many interests and hobbies. He and his wife traveled often, exploring many parts of the world together. He was an avid reader and would spend many hours lost in a good book. He was a trivia fan, loved telling a good story and joke, and delighted in his grandchildren's laughter. He helped everyone he could and never turned down a person in need. A devoted family man, he cherished the time he spent with his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Dan will be deeply missed by his family and friends, who remember him as a kind, generous, and compassionate person. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Martha Jane French; his daughters, Sandie Fauss(Randy} and Suzanne French(Kim Dalton),his father,Preston French, sisters, Christine and Margie, brothers, John and Ben. He will be lovingly remembered by his many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He will be sadly missed by all. A Celebration of Life is planned In Columbus, Ohio for late spring.
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