In Memory of Dennis Daniel (Feb. 19, 1942 – April 23, 2022)
Rev. Dennis Jay Daniel died on April 23, 2022, at the age of 80.
Dennis was born on February 19, 1942, in Glendale, CA to Delmar Jay Daniel and Avis Brown Daniel. After graduating from Hollywood High School, he attended the California Institute of Technology (Cal-Tech) for a year and transferred to Stanford University, CA. At Stanford, he was admitted to the overseas program. He spent six months at the Stanford campus in Florence, Italy, and traveled for six months on his own. During those six months, he also studied German at the Goethe Institut in Bavaria. Dennis then returned to the United States and transferred to the University of California, LA where he received a Bachelor’s (1964) and a Master’s Degree (1967) in English. He worked for seventeen years in the film industry before deciding to enter seminary in 1980.
Dennis grew up with no religious training and no religious community. His family’s dedication to the church did not extend beyond Easter Sunday services. His notion of what religion was all about was confined to pietistic prayers for help in times of crisis. He felt vaguely incomplete and at a loss to know what he was accomplishing. And then he found the Unitarian Community Church in Santa Monica. For the first time, he became aware that what he was going through was a common human experience, the idea of spiritual pilgrimage presented itself and he seized on it. He involved himself in the Religious Education program at the church; he found himself speaking out, leading groups, planning worship for children, and leading adults in worship at holiday celebrations. He started believing strongly in the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit, of person, community and world, church and civilization, and the UU denomination. Finally, he got to the point where he knew his calling was to the UU ministry. He entered the Claremont School of Theology, CA graduating with a Master of Divinity in 1984.
Rev. Daniel was ordained on April 22, 1988. From 1987 to 1992, he served two yoked churches: the First Universalist Church, of Oakfield, ME, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Houlton, ME. In addition, he served a quarter-time position with the Unitarian Fellowship of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada (1988-1992). These were all small congregations and in serving them Rev. Daniel was able to help one of these fellowships start its way toward becoming an extension congregation. After 1992, Rev. Daniel and his wife Rev. Sydney Wilde served together as a co-ministry team working together to create one ministry. In 1992, they were called to the Central Unitarian Church, Paramus, NJ, and served until 1998. In those six years, they made a dramatic increase in the effectiveness of the Social Responsibility Committee, created the Adult RE program, redesigned the Affirmation Program for youth, created a Pastoral Visitors Committee, developed the Program Committee into a Worship Committee, and trained the worship associates. They also helped increase income from the Talent Auction threefold.
In 1998, Rev. Daniel and Rev. Wilde moved to the First Unitarian Society of Chicago, IL as interim ministers. They worked with the leadership team and restructured systems making them ready to work with the new minister. At the UU Society of Sacramento, CA (1999-2000), they worked to help the church heal from past conflicts. Thereafter, they served the UU Church in Reston, VA (2000-2009) and the UU Fellowship in Chico, CA (2009-2015).
Rev. Daniel’s denominational services included serving as a secretary of the Northeast District Board (1990-1992) and as a secretary of the Northeast District UUMA Chapter (1991-1992). He was a member of the UUMA Continental Exec. (1994-1996), President of the Metro New York UUMA Chapter (1997-1998), and the Chesapeake UUMA Chapter Leader (2007-2009). Furthermore, he taught renaissance modules on Philosophy and Curriculum.
Dennis was a treasurer and board member of the Inter-Religious Fellowship for the Homeless in Bergen County, NJ (1993-1998). He spent his lifetime supporting affordable housing and shelter for the homeless, women’s health, antiracism, LGBTQ rights, shelter for abused women, and education for the disadvantaged. Since 2009 he had been an active member of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in Chico, CA, where he taught as an OLLI Peer Leader in classes on Walden and Thoreau, Rabbinical commentaries on the Hebrew Bible, and Poetry for Insight. In his spare time, he enjoyed flower gardening, reading (both fiction and non-fiction of all kinds), jazz, classical music, opera, modern dance, theater, and natural history.
Dennis is survived by his wife of 31 years, the Rev. Dr. Sydney Wilde; his son, Andrew Daniel, his daughter-in-law, Alice Daniel; and his granddaughters: Corrina Stadler, Brianna Stadler, and Abigail Daniel. He also leaves behind his son-in-law, Randy Stadler, and ex-wife Phyllis Nygaard Daniel. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sabrina Daniel Stadler, his brother Steven Daniel, and his first wife, the mother of his children, Annabelle Lee.
A memorial service will be held at 11 am Pacific Time on Saturday, July 2, 2022, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Chico, 1289 Filbert Ave, Chico, CA 95926.
Donations can be made to the Dennis Daniel Memorial Fund; c/o UUFC, 1289 Filbert Ave., Chico, CA 95926.
Notes of condolences can be sent to Sydney Wilde, 2682 Fairfield Cmn, Chico, CA 95928, or 2skwilde@gmail.com.