Dr. Daniel Alder

Dr. Daniel Alder passed away gently, at his home, Jan. 4, in the company of his family. As a family, we are heartbroken to lose his embodiment of devotion to family and of kindness to his fellow human beings.

His death follows a relentless pursuit of better health and mobility following complex hip surgeries, peripheral vascular disease and the wear and tear of life. Dan suffered a fall at home Aug. 28, was life flighted to Grant ICU, spent time in Grant Hospital Trauma Unit, then two weeks at Select Specialty Hospital, and was fortunate to then be admitted to Ohio Health In-Patient Rehab Hospital. Throughout these tests, he displayed his characteristic grit and determination, making the trip home Oct. 31.

W. Daniel Alder III was born on April 1, 1941, in Columbus, Ohio, the son of William Daniel Alder II, and Vivian McCullough Alder. He was raised in an extended family that included grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins gathering often for holidays and reunions. They were well schooled in looking out for one another.

Dr. Dan practiced orthodontics in the Athens, Logan and southeast Ohio area for over four decades. He loved his profession, he respected his colleagues, and particularly enjoyed the diversity of people and families who passed through his practice. He never ceased to be intrigued by people - natives of this area, transplants from all parts of the country, and the OU international students who found themselves in Athens, Ohio.

Dan is survived by his wife of 37 years, Jane Miller Alder and his seven children and 10 grandchildren - William Daniel Alder IV (Allison) and their two sons Daniel and Noah; Jeremy C. Alder (Michelle) and their two sons Zachary and Ethan; Hannah Beth Nichols (Andrew) and their two daughters, Sophia and Anabella; William Henniger (Caity), Elizabeth Pepper (Patrick) and their two children Lundy and Everett; Benjamin Alder (Emily) and their daughter Billie; and Emma Corell (Arthur) and their daughter Freya.

Also surviving are his brother Frank Alder (Amanda) and their children Ella, Joey and Kalia, and his sister Billilyn Davidson (Matt) and their children Grace, Asa and Emma.

Besides his parents, Dan was preceded in death by a brother, Richard, and his very dear stepmother, Fran Alder.

As a father, we will remember the beam in his pilot blue eyes to see the joy, pride and warmth as his kids danced to his floor speakers turned to the max. We'll remember him on the sidelines of soccer, baseball and volleyball games, in the audience of band concerts and school plays. All the kids learned to ski with a Walkman on board, loaded with a special cassette, a mix of music to ski by, compiled by Dad. Dan believed emphatically that a parent should always be a "safe harbor" for their children as they navigated the trials of growing up.

Beyond the world of work, you could find Dan restoring his IH or Case tractors, mowing the fields of his farm, tracking down wayward Great Pyrenees, mowing his fields again and best of all flying overhead with his son Will in their 1965 Cessna 172F. Such a thrill to wave at them knowing that they were doing what they loved so much.

His family is forlorn. We will forever miss him but be grateful for the generosity, humor and wisdom he shared with everyone around him.

Our heartfelt gratitude to the therapists at Ohio Health In-Patient Rehab, the therapists of Holzer Home Health Care and the team of Shrivers Hospice. Brightening Dan's November and December were dinners by the fire with his friends Dr. Steve Clay, Dr. Greg Linscott and Dr. Bill Platt. And he was pleased to see that his brother-in-law Brian Miller had mowed the fields.

Plans for a celebration of a life devoted to family and fellow travelers will be announced at a later time, on Facebook or on the Hughes Moquin Funeral Home website. Out of respect or fondness for Dan, please extend a hand to someone, share kindness, or perhaps offer a service pro bono. With love and gratitude, The Daniel Alder Family. Dr. Daniel Alder