Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
Daniel Thygesen Obituary
Daniel Prescott THYGESEN "Danny Holiday" Daniel Prescott Thygesen a.k.a. Danny Holiday - Rock and Roll historian and Seattle radio legend, was born March 23, 1943 to Georgine (Gellerson) and Frank Thygesen in Everett, Washington, and left for heaven's music February 20, 2012. Always filled with tenacity, vim and vigor, Dan began his career sweeping floors at KRKO at 8 and the rest is history. Dan's career was marked with lasting friendships and encounters with the greats of R&R. He knew the history first hand. Dan was an inductee into the NW Music Hall of Fame in 1990, creator of the Danny Holiday Rock and Roll Time Machine, proud president of the OFC, mentor to many, with unmatched wit, and intelligence. Yet, foremost was his love of his Savior and family. Dan had added a new softer, grateful, accepting, loving side with his renewing love of his Savior and his Catholicism. Danny is survived by his wife, Joyce, son Dan (Noriko), grandchildren Aya, Mao, and Leo, sister Ann (Rick) Gray, and a host of loyal friends and family. Aya was the apple of Dan's eye who brought sunshine to his life and his last smile. Thank you to all who kept in such good contact with Dan to make him feel so loved. Service will be held at St. Marys in Marysville, Wa. @ 9:00 Feb. 24, 2012. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camano Animal Shelter Association. Ladies and Gentlemen, Danny has left the building.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Daniel Thygesen
Richard Bowne
February 17, 2020
Every time I hear certain music on the radio, I think of Danny. We spent hours listening to his records! We miss him!
Duane Smart
February 17, 2019
Danny was an online friend. When he started doing his show on the education station in Everett, I tuned in on the streaming version on my computer. Living as far away as I did reception was spotty at best. Some of the records he played were quite worn out and I had clean copies and emailed many songs to him. He thanked me frequently on the air. Sometimes he would play a song I didn't have and I'd email his to ask if he would send me an mp3. He always did. One day in the mail he sent me several cds he had burned of some very rare stereo hits. He had invited me to his home one day an sadly, I didn't go until it was too late.
Keep spinning those hits in Heaven, Danny. God Bless You.
March 14, 2012
Dear Ann and Danny, my friendship with Dan was forever connected. I spoke to him several days before he passed and always reinforced the spirit of love. He was exceptionally blessed. I wish you the best. Irene "Symmonds" Richardson
Buckle Bob Hover
March 13, 2012
I had the priviledge and honor of spending a lot of time at Dan's home in Stanwood on the beach listening to and trading CDs with him until I was transferred in my work. I still miss those great times we shared looking for alternate and obscure takes on hit recordings. Dan probably had the best collection of these.
Buckle Bob Hover
Harvey Cooper
March 12, 2012
Danny and I worked together at 20th Century Fox Records in the 70's and remained friends..He was a great music professional and a class act through adversity...I don't know how he endured so much..to be missed by his peers.
TIMOTHY D. KEHR
March 12, 2012
TO DAN'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS-
I'VE KNOWN DAN SINCE OUR TIME AT COLUMBIA RECORDS AND 20TH CENTURY FOX RECORDS. DAN AND I WERE FRIENDS, AND KEPT IN CONTACT OVER THE YEARS. IN OUR MOST RECENT CONVERSATION, HE FELT HE WAS CLOSE TO DYING AND HE WAS O.K. WITH THAT. HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE WILL OR STRENGTH ANYMORE. I'LL THINK OF DAN THIS WAY...If you believe in forever. Then life is just a one-night stand. If there's a rock n' roll heaven. Well you know Dan will be there! DAN, I LOVE YOU AND I'LL MISS YOU.
February 29, 2012
Danny was my next door neighbor in Anacortes. He was so "cool' to a pre-teener like me. But once he heard me sobbing over my parents' divorce and came to comfort me. He was 17, I was 14. That was way cooler than his pompadour and ducktail hair-do, beleive me! Sorry we did not keep in touch. Sharon Johnson Hull
Mark Varney
February 25, 2012
Danny was my mother's cousin and eight years older than me. When I was a nerdy teen he would take me to the station with him and even got me a front row seat at the 1966 Stones concert and Mick Jagger's autograph! Dan gave my brother and me scads of records and it was his influence that led to me opening my own record store and my brother and me starting our own record labels. Dan was the epitomy of cool but he always had time for his family, his fans, and elderly people he had looked up to as a boy. I am one of many whose lives wouldn't have been nearly the same without his influence. Goodbye Dan...we're sure going to miss you!
Jaynie Dillon Jones
February 25, 2012
Such a loss for all... Danny was truly a radio legend and will long be remembered.
Carl Palmer
February 25, 2012
Class act. Period. My deepest sympathies to Danny's family. It is an honor and a privilege to say I worked with Danny Holiday. He will be missed.
Leslie Kelly
February 24, 2012
I was a true "groupie" for Danny since I first heard him on the radio in 1990 when I moved to Seattle. He became a friend and as a journalist I was able to write about him in the Everett Herald and the Seattle Times. He loved music and was a walking music history book. I just learned of his death today and therefore was not able to be at the memorial service. I am sorry we didn't stay closer these past few years. But I will always remember him and the many Rock n Roll stories he told me. Save me a chair at the table up there at the Rock n Roll Cafe in Heaven!
Dick Bowne
February 24, 2012
I'll miss the hours I spent with Danny listening to his records, hearing stories of his life in the music business and just chillin' out with he and Joyce at their place on the Sound. Rest in Peace Danny!
February 24, 2012
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely
in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming,
"Wow, what a ride!!!" I'm happy Dan had a great journey and'wonderful ride! Sheila
Doug McFarlane
February 24, 2012
GROWING UP IN SEATTLE IN THE 60'S I LISTENED TO DAN HOLIDAY ON RADIO STATION KOL. LATER ON I BECAME A "REGULAR" LISTENER TO DANNY DOING HIS ROCK AND ROLL TIME MACHINE . I WOULD NOT MISS A SINGLE WEEKEND WHEN HE WOULD DO THE PIONEERS OF ROCK SEGMENT. I HAVE LOTS OF RECORDED CASSETTE TAPES OF HIS PROGRAMS AND FEATURED ARTIST. HIS REFERENCES FROM TIME TO TIME ABOUT TO YOUNG TO REMEMBER BUT HE HAD A BIG SISTER ( I found amusing because I have a Big Sister too).
ONE OF MY MOST CHERISHED TAPES IS ONE OF DAN'S ON AIR BLOOPERS HE WOULD MAKE OCCASIONALLY. I TOLD HIM ONE TIME THAT I HAD A TAPE OF THESE AND HE WAS AMUSED TO HEAR THAT. HE WOULD GET SO WRAPPED UP AND INVOLVED IN WHAT HE WAS DOING A BLOOPER/MISCUE WOULDN'T BE FAR OFF.
DANNY HOLIDAY WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED AND NOT EASILY FORGOTTEN. THANKS DAN FOR ALL THE INFO AND GOOD TUNES. MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO HIS FAMILY - ROCK IN PEACE DAN
Sheila Nelson
February 24, 2012
I remember when Joyce told me she was getting married to Dan Thygesen aka Danny Holiday, I was surprised & delighted to know it was the same Danny Holiday I listened to as a teenager!!! R.I.P. Dan...you will be missed.
Harry Wilson
February 24, 2012
I have many great memories of time spent with Danny when we were young. He was fun to hang with and great at his craft. I am truly sad he is gone but the memories will linger on until we all have left the building. Godspeed, Danny.
February 24, 2012
s he prepares to take over as the Music Director of that great rock and roll library in Heaven I am certain his prescence there will be an immediate contribution and he will simply just "keep rockin'....Godspeed Danny!...your friend, Dex Allen...KOL class of '65-'67....
Pat Price
February 24, 2012
I had the priveledge of knowing Danny and several of the other "Jocks" at KOL when I was but a young lad of 17. They treated me as an adult and helped me come out of my shell. I have so many fond memories of that time in my life. I thank you for all you did for me. My thoughts and prayers are with Joyce and the family. "Keep on Rocking" my friend....
Burl Barer
February 24, 2012
I met Danny on a dark and stormy night in the fall of 1965 when I first visited KOL Radio. That night I vowed to one day sit in Danny's chair and play the hits. Twenty years later, 1985,Danny was doing the Rock n Roll Time Machine on KZOK. I was flattered when he requested that I fill in for him while he was on vacation. When I had my heart attack in 2005, Danny was among the first to call me and make sure my ticker was still ticking. From 1965 to 2012, Danny Holiday remained a dear friend, an admired professional, and undoubtedly the #1 resource for honest accurate information about rock n roll music. He was a man of integrity, humility, knowledge and encouragement -- a combination of qualities and attributes far too rare. He is indeed "of blessed memory."
Donald Wimberly
February 23, 2012
Joyce, so sorry that Danny has left the building. He is missed. Love, Don January
June Clifford Bell
February 23, 2012
I met Danny in 1965 when he was a DJ at KOL. I was married to one of the other DJ's at the time. We moved away and I didn't see him again until my 20th high school reunion in 1983. He was the DJ. We had a nice chat, talking about old times. I was shocked to learn of his passing. I accidentally stumbled across his obituary in the newspaper today. I will remember him as full of life and with a big smile. My sincere condolences go out to his family. May he rest in peace.
David Reynolds
February 23, 2012
Dan is my cousin Danny's father, Dan always treated me like family, so I considered him my Uncle. Dan would take his son Danny and I to the beach house in Marysville when we were kids, where Danny and I would go fishing and crabbing. He would always let me know I was welcome anytime to go. I would spend some time in the studio with Dan, while he entertained thousands on the air. He always stood up while talking on the mic and he would sway his body while he talked, and he would really be "gettin into it". I saw a side of Dan that no one listening to him saw, and I can tell you he LOVED what he did and it was his passion. The Rock n Roll history that he shared on the air was not read from script, it was purely from his memory. He had such a wealth of Oldies Rock N Roll history and really loved sharing it with his fans.
Most of all he was a very caring person and loved by many, and his sense of humor would never stop. Memories of Dan will carry on forever in the hearts and minds of his son Danny, and the rest of his family, friends and fans. Rest in Peace Uncle Dan!!! We will miss you so much, Keep Rockin'
Duane Smart
February 23, 2012
I had not see Danny in decades and listened quite often to his show on KSER-FM. We communicated by email from time to time and Danny generously sent me many cds of rare material. I was able to reciprocate in a much smaller way by furnishing Danny with restored 45's that he used on his show. Rest In Peace, Danny.
February 23, 2012
I was saddened to hear the news about Danny, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. I remember fondly listening to his radio show on Sunday mornings, and got into the habit of calling the station to chat about music. He always answered the phone, and we talked between songs. Later, I had him MC and play music at Sammamish High School's 20th Anniversary Reunion (Class of 1968). He was awesome, and will be greatly missed.
Andy Keehn, Seattle, Washington
Alice Porter
February 23, 2012
Danny kindly agreed to officiate at our daughter's Bat Mitzvah party in 1994. He did such a wonderful job: so inclusive of the kids and really helping them understand and experience the oldies they were dancing to. It "made" the evening, and many of the then-teenagers who celebrated with us that night still hold fond memories of the party and Danny. We will always be grateful and always remember him.
Curt McDermott
February 23, 2012
My condolences to Danny's family, Dan was a fun guy and a good person..he will be missed by all who knew him..R.I.P.Danny
Showing 1 - 26 of 26 results
Make a Donation
in Daniel Thygesen's name
Memorial Events
for Daniel Thygesen
How to support Daniel's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor Daniel Thygesen's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
