We moved into our house in 2001.  Our neighbors on the southside were Jo and Arnie Lee and the neighbors to our north were Jean and Dan Nelson.  In subsequent years, we sadly lost Jean and Jo, and then had the statistical anomaly of two widowers for immediate neghbors.  And now we have lost Dan, the lovable and irascible “Dangerous Dan” whose obituary follows: 

http://www.echopress.com/obituaries/4368890-daniel-b-nelson

I took several photos of and with Dan over the years . . .

2005

[We live on a chain of lakes, but with our pontoon we did not have access to Lake Victoria, the neighborhood lake of my childhood.  So, one day we coerced Dan into taking us there via water in his deck boat . . . ]

[His house in the background . . . ]

[And then ours as we motor away (is that Murphy in the boat with us?) . . . ]

2006

[The boat show at Arrowwood . . . was Dan ahead of his time with the cell phone?]

[With our grandson Tom and Ruthie’s sister Rita . . . ]

2007

[Sixth Avenue Wine and Ale (SAWA), a personal favorite of both gentlemen in the photo.  I believe the wine was something in a red . . . ]

[The annual Independence Day parade on Lake Carlos . . . ]

[Here Dan “shoots” his family in his boat from our boat . . . ]

[The favorite time of year for Dan.  All his kids and grandkids would come up for a couple of weeks and waterski from dawn to dusk . . . ]

[And then here joining the Lee family to view Arrowwood fireworks from the water . . . ]

[Oh, we got his family!]

[His shoreline from our shoreline overlooking beautiful Lake Darling . . . ]

2009

[The A-listers at SAWA, Dan with Father Steve and Mayor Dan Ness . . . ]

[The man would be lost without a convertible!]

[Breakfast at Fort Alexandria, a ritual with the Awake the Lakes Festival . . . ]

[And now, a boat ride . . . ]

[Looks like Grandson Tom tubing . . . ]

[Ruthie pointing out deer that may run in front of the boat . . . ]

[Never smile while driving a boat unless bugs are on your menu . . . ]

[A large party on another trip to Lake Victoria . . . ]

[Dan’s port . . . ]

[He does have a great view . . . ]

[With daughter Julie at the winery . . . ]

[Jeans & Jewels is a fund raising event for the school district’s education foundation.  In the first year Ruthie must have had a better offer – so Dan and his daughter Kris were my dates for the evening.]

[Even when Ruthie isn’t there, she wins prize drawings.  This time she won a diamond pendant, so Kris had to be the jewelry model . . . ]

[And that photo was used for the Jeans & Jewels promotion the following year!]

2010

[Hello, officer, I’d like to report a red Jaguar with California plates in our parking place at SAWA!]

[The man was incorrigible (ha!) . . . ]

[And always a sweetheart . . . ]

[Yes, these two did go on dates together – for ice cream (or so I was told) . . . ]

[Wearing his flight wings . . . ]

[OMG, they’re at it again!]

2011

[Evenings at SAWA . . . ]

[And the Run for the Roses fundraiser for Theatre L’Homme Dieu at the golf club . . . ]

[Driving Alexandria Hall of Fame inductee Mayor Ness in the Homecoming Parade . . . ]

[The wild and crazy family in the boat parade again . . . ]

[SAWA, again?]

[Taking Dan and Arnie for a ride . . . ]

[Well, let’s try SAWA again . . . ]

[What are you doing way over there?]

2012

[The portrait of Dan’s car in front of SAWA hung in the establishment for a few years.  Darn, forgot who the artist was?]

[Back at the golf club for another Run for the Roses . . . ]

[Dan’s daughters, Julie, Kris, and Marty, had to find out about this SAWA place . . . ]

[And were subsequently overwhelmed by the usual denizens!]

[No casualties were reported . . . ]

[At the Legacy of the Lakes Museum . . . ]

[A place right up Dan’s alley . . . ]

[So to speak . . . ]

So, a fond bon voyage, old pal!