Psalm for Dan the Traveler
Praise to the Lord our Creator for allowing us to glimpse
the woven layers of his earthly tapestry.
God’s artistry is revealed in the colors and shapes of
glistening white sand dunes, tree-inspired cathedral columns
and chimneys covered with mosaic glass.
May Dan’s humility heighten his awe of grass-sculpted landscapes
and enable him to hear the full song of wildlife running free.
Pray that Dan’s genuine appreciation of others opens
the hearts of people from diverse cultures.
Worship the Lord our Shepherd who journeys with travelers
and surrounds them with loving care.
Sally Natchek, September 23, 2019
On the occasion of Dan’s travel to Kenya and Tanzania, Africa
September 25 – October 11, 2019
On Saturday, July 17, 2021, heaven gained an amazing man, loving husband, father, grandpa, and friend. Dan L. Natchek, passed at the age of 71 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dan was born June 9, 1950, in Oak Park, Cook County, Illinois, noting the fact he had a birth certificate signed by Richard M. Daley. He is the son of the late Lawrence “Larry” and Adele “Mickey” (Niemitz) and loving husband of Sally Margaret (Miller) Natchek, married July 11, 1998. Dan is the father of three exceptional women; Janice (Mike) Cavaliere of San Francisco, Katie (Scott) Huggins of Racine and Lisa Natchek (Matt Surprenant) of Apple Valley (Minneapolis); “Grandpa” to his six grandchildren, Luca, Tristan, Cora, Briona, Wesley, and Elsie. Additional survivors are his sisters Mary (Phil) Ziesemer, Kathy (Bob) Gnadt, Susie (Rick) Loof and many nieces and nephews.
Dan’s faith was the center of his life and was reflected in his service to his parish, He enjoyed serving as a lector, helping craft adult enrichment educational sessions, participating in the parish’s mission to El Salvador and editing The Spirit of Seton. Dan grew up in the Catholic Church, attending Corpus Christi parish, and later St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish, New Berlin.
Dan was blessed with exceptional educational opportunities and was very grateful to the mentors in his life. He is a graduate of Boston College, and Marquette High School. A paper he wrote explaining how to use a telephone earned him a job as a technical writer, eventually leading to a 20-year career with Oracle Corporation and additional years in software development. In his career at Oracle, Dan managed teams of experts, both domestically and overseas; trained hundreds of clients and Oracle employees; developed a technical foundations course; and co-authored Oracle E-Business Suite: Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management, McGraw-Hill/Osborne, required reading for many new Oracle consultants.
Dan will be fondly remembered for his sense of humor, caring compassion, willingness to help and his adventurous spirit. His work called for extensive travel to the continents of Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa and South America. More recently, he travelled with this wife Sally to the U.K., France, Italy, Spain and throughout Canada and the U.S. In later years, Dan and Sally made their homes on Little Muskego Lake and Lake Brittany in Muskego, WI. Reading (member of two book clubs), participating in St. Luke’s Little Rock Scripture Study Group, spending time with family, helping others and making people laugh, were some of the activities he greatly enjoyed. Volunteer activities included designing a computer software system for Fr. Gene’s Help Center; teaching English to international residents; serving on the board of the Lake Brittany Association; and helping tour and house Japanese visitors through the Friendship Force.
Special thanks to the kind doctors and nurses at St. Luke’s Hospital for their compassionate care.
Celebration of Dan’s life will be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 12700 W. Howard Ave., New Berlin, WI 53151 on Thursday, July 22, 2021. Visitation at 10 AM will be held until the time of his Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM.
Donations may be made to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish or the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish El Salvador Mission Appeal Fund.
