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Daniel W. Hommer

Daniel Hommer Obituary

Daniel W. Hommer of Rockville, MD passed away suddenly on January 2, 2013. Born: Dan was born on May 8, 1948, to Bernard and Betty Hommer of Easton, PA. Personal: Dan was raised in Easton and graduated from Notre Dame High School. Dan received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and his M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. A dedicated scientist and physician, Dan was Chief of the Section of Brain Electrophysiology and Imaging at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH. He was a wonderful mentor and world-renowned for his discoveries on structural and functional differences in brains of alcoholic and non-alcoholic individuals. Dan was also an avid cyclist and a devoted father and grandfather. He was much beloved by his family, friends, and colleagues, and he will by sorely missed. Survivors: He is survived by his children, Rebecca Hommer, Jonathan and Jayme Hommer, Elana and Patrick Zimmerman and Zachary Hommer; his grandchildren, Alice Zimmerman and Elliott Hommer; and his sister, Judith Hommer. Dan was predeceased by his beloved wife of 35 years, Melissa Cohen Hommer, and by his parents. Services: Funeral services will be held at the Norbeck Memorial Park chapel, 16225 Batchellors Forest Rd, Olney, MD, with interment to follow. Friends will be received at the family residence immediately following. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence or C.A.S.A of Montgomery County or the charity of one's choice.

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Published by The Express Times on Jan. 6, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for Daniel Hommer

19 Entries

Barbara Bendl

December 31, 2024

With the new Bob Dylan movie playing now, I was remembering Danny yet again - it was Danny who introduced me to the song Like a Rolling Stone, on the bus on our senior class trip. Radio stations weren´t regularly playing it because it was "too long" but somehow we heard it then and talked about the lyrics. A good memory.

Rosemarie E Christopher

December 31, 2024

It is impossible to forget Danny! May his memory be a blessing to all of us who knew him, forever! I met Danny in grade school. He and Dennis Flynn were best friends. I walked partway to St. Joseph's Grade School with Danny and Dennis. Dennis passed as a child from ALL (leukemia). As my first career role was as a fundraiser for Danny Thomas' St Jude Children's Research Hospital, I always thought of Dennis and Danny best friends, having to part ways so young. In the early 60's, ALL in children was incurable. Now it is about 94% curable if diagnosed very early.
Danny seemed to always be thoughtful, funny and above all kind!

Barbara Bendl

January 1, 2024

Just the other night I was remembering our special days together as Notre Dame seniors and during our freshman year in college. I still have some very sweet letters that Danny wrote to me during that time. He will foever be my friend in my heart. Hope he is resting in peace.

Mike Flynn

January 15, 2013

Danny grew up with me and my brother Dennis, and we always did tons of things together. He was a good friend to my brother. In fact, he was a cellar door cousin: his grandmother and mine were cousins. In some strange way that gave us the power to walk into each other's kitchen.
We were The Adventure Club, seven of us, and we hiked and mapped the whole region, scanned the heavens with our telescopes, carried out scientific experiments. Once we blew the fuses in his house with a less than inspired electrical circuit. We wrote science fiction stories together: Danny, Dennis, Red Scannell, and me; and later in high school we made a 16mm B&W war movie with Gary Armitage, Jim Reilly, Jim Welsh, Sterling Carter, and a bunch of others that was actually pretty darn good.
Later, in college, the two of us went on a camping trip to Nova Scotia. We drove out to where there were no roads, to the Cape Breton Highlands and spent some nights under the stars.
There are no friends like the friends of childhood. My heart and prayers go out to Judy and to Danny's family.

Xavier Castellanos

January 8, 2013

One of the nicest and best people in the field - truly a loss to us all, and most of all to the family he adored.

Godfrey Pearlson

January 8, 2013

Dan was a truly decent person who will be missed by many people in the scientific community.
He was significantly helpful to my lab, in terms of investing the time and effort to get his Monetary Incentive Delay task up and running successfully in our environment. Interacting with him, I found him to be predictably patient, friendly and collegial and enormously enthusiastic about science, both then and when I spoke with him subsequently at scientific meetings.
We both had daughters named Rebecca in graduate school at the same time and would joke about that.
A true mensch- I will miss him.

January 8, 2013

I work for NIAAA. When I heard that he had died I was amazed at all the wonderful sayings about him. Especially talking with His administrative Officer at work, Suzanne Bell. She spoke of him to me like she knew him all her life. A warm, loving person who understood the human side of suffering, loving and caring. We should all emmulate him in life. May his family know that even though I never met him in person I feel I knew him. May God help you and your family through this.
Rita Bauguess, ASB, NIAAA, NIH

Suzanne Bell

January 8, 2013

I am glad that I was able to know and work with your father. He was funny, smart and very much a family man. He would call and tell Dena, "I'll be in late I have Alice this morning". Know that he was loved and respected. My prayers and thoughts will be with you.

Judy Chrustenson

January 7, 2013

Dear Jon, Jayme, Elliott , so sorry to hear. Ours prayers are for you and all of your family. We only met a few times but it was enough to know what a special place he played in your hearts and daily lives. He will be missed. God Bless . Bud and Judy

kathy werth

January 7, 2013

I am so glad that Rosemary Evans Veresink started the Notre Dame 1966 group on Facebook. That is where I learned about the sad news of Danny's passing on. My name was Heiczinger so I sat very near Danny in a lot of classes. Whenever I remember him, I smile because of his sweet, humble, funny demeanor. I am very sorry for our loss. He was such a WONDERFUL person! My family and my thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Jim Welsh

January 7, 2013

Daniel was a most memorable friend over many years whose accomplishments are a testimonial to his engagement with science, culture, and human possibilities. Whether learning about amateur radio from him fifty years ago or learning about his recent work about five years ago, an afternoon or evening with Danny was always interesting. Collaborating with Reilly, Flynn, Armitage and Dan on "the war movie" was a highlight of the Notre Dame years. His spirited discussions of film and psychology, tastes in music, and discovery of 'fictionary' helped carry a bunch of us through the seventies. I recall calling him the night Nixon resigned, and comparing notes on Frank Rizzo's Philly in the mid-seventies. Dan's politics were informed by reason and driven by values that are easily traced to his parents. Although we were often out of touch for a decade or so, the conversation was always easily resumed. I am so pleased that Leslie and I were able to do so with Dan and Melissa a few years ago over dinner. My sympathy to his family, friends and colleagues.

Lorenzo Leggio

January 7, 2013

I feel so lucky to have moved to Bethesda (NIH) a few months ago as this gave me the opportunity to know and spend time with Dan. It was a pleasure and privilege working with Dan - we will miss him a lot.

jim singley

January 6, 2013

to dan's family, deepest sympathy on the passing of your father, grandfather, and brother, having the privlege of knowing him from childhood as neighbors growing up together, going to grade school and then high school together, my prayers are with you, and may God bless

January 6, 2013

I knew Danny from the time we walked to school together. Danny and his friend Dennis Flynn, and my sisters and brothers walked to St Joseph's Elementary School together sometimes. Though I had not seen Danny since graduation from Notre Dame, throughout the years, I remembered Danny for his kindness and for how much he cared for Dennis, who passed away from Leukemia, as a child. I think, in some ways, it was his innate goodness and the memory of his friend, Dennis, that inspired my early career work with Danny Thomas' St Jude Children's Hospital, Memphis, TN. I am not surprised that Danny devoted his life to Science. May his family take comfort, in all the wonderful things he brought to our world, during his brief stay.
Rosemarie Christopher

Gayle Golden (Hoy)

January 6, 2013

Condolances to Dan's family.God bless him for using his talents to help humanity.

George & Debbie Kresch

January 6, 2013

I am so blessed to have been with Danny this summer. He is a wonderful person and caring individual.He touched our souls and hearts with joy and love. He is also my cousin. You are in our prayers and hearts at this time and always in remembrance in your name. Rest in peace and joy Danny.

January 6, 2013

My deepest sympathies to Dan's family. I hadn't seen "Danny" since graduation from Notre Dame. I was not surprised to learn of his accomplishments. And as I look at his picture, I can still see his little boy face. I am sure he will be missed.
Sincerely,
Ro Lipari Roy

January 6, 2013

My sincere condolences to the family - Danny was very special to me, my senior prom date and my friend. I've thought about him often over the years. I am so sorry for your loss.
Barbara Bendl

Robert and Charlotte DeYoung

January 6, 2013

May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.

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