Daniel Burr Owsley, best known as “Mr. Dan,” born Sept. 26, 1938, passed away suddenly on April 15.

Though he was formally employed by and retired after 34 years of service at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in occupation, Mr. Dan wore a title of “jack of all trades.”

He married the love of his life, Catherine Mary Owsley, in 1990, and with her came three boys: Neal, Nicholas, and Nolan Smith, whom he raised as his own. In addition to his three stepsons, and without biological children of his own, Mr. Dan took a large role in helping to raise and minister to a countless numbers of children throughout his life. He truly was a father to the fatherless, and he dedicated his time to children who needed additional love and support. This can be most easily confirmed by taking a snap shot of his post-retirement past times from teaching at “Mother’s Day Out” to driving the children’s “choo choo” train at the local mall. [Read more…]