Daniel Tauriello

Lt. Col. Daniel Tauriello, Ret. USAF, of Denver, beloved husband of Anne, his wife of 53 years; father of Lisa, Daniel, Michael, & Paul; grandfather of Marisa, Jeffrey, Danielle, & Max; brother of Michael, of San Juan Capistrano, Frank, of Laguna Beach, California, & Joseph, of Rochester, NY, died Monday, August 11th, 2008. He was preceded in death by his sister, Frances Vance, of Pittsford, NY. Dan was born and raised in upstate New York, and after high school graduation, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps. He served in Europe during World War II as a bomber pilot, first in England, before and after D-Day, then at bases in France and in Northern Holland, where he was stationed when the War ended. He flew a total of 46 missions against the enemy during World War II. Recalled to active duty during the Korean War, and after refresher training, Dan served for 19 years as a fighter pilot; 12 years in the Air Defense Command, fighting the Cold War, and 5 years in the Tactical Air Command, including one year at an airbase in northern Thailand. During the war in Viet Nam, he served as the fighter wing Director of Safety. He flew a total of 113 missions against the enemy in Laos and in Viet Nam. He worked for the State Compensation Insurance Fund for 16 years, as the supervisor of safety, then as safety manager of the Denver International Airport Construction Program, and as safety manager of the Ft. St. Vrain Nuclear Power Plant, Decommissioning and Conversion Project. As a Certified Safety Professional for over thirty years, Dan worked on many big and small construction projects, including the Mayor Wellington Webb Municipal Office Building, and the Stapleton Redevelopment Project. He also worked for 14 years as a safety consultant in the oil and gas industry. Dan was a member of the Aurora Board of Education for six years. His contributions included helping to finance improvements at Aurora Central High School, bringing computers to elementary schools, and commissioning new schools, including Ruth B. Dalton Elementary School, where Grandson Jeffrey currently attends. Dan led a citizen's crusade that brought a community college, a "college without walls," to the City of Aurora. He was a member of the Order of the Daedalians, Flight 18 (Volabamus Volamus - We Fly, We Flew), and he served for two years as the president of the Mile High Military Officers Association of America. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 20th, 2008, at 11:00AM at St. John's Cathedral, 1350 Washington St., Denver, 80203, where the ashes of our Soldier of God, who has been called to a higher order, are buried in All Souls' Walk. In lieu of flowers, please make any contribution in Dan's memory, to St. John's Cathedral, c/o Cannon Greg Movesian, 1350 Washington St., Denver, CO 80203, 303-831-7115.