Daniel William Fleitas

On February 18, 2023, Daniel William Fleitas, passed away peacefully with his wife Jo at his side.

Born in Tampa, Florida July 3, 1935, Dan was the son of the late Frank Fleitas and Juana Fleitas; he is survived by his wife Jo Fleitas; brother Frank Joseph Fleitas and wife Martha of San Antonio, Texas; and sister-in-law Joan Fleitas of Fairfield, Connecticut.

Dan served in the U.S. Army in the early 1960's and was honorably discharged. Dan earned a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Florida, and then earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Florida State University. He became a member of the faculty in the Department of Political Science at UNC Charlotte in 1970. He had previously been awarded a Woodrow Wilson fellowship for graduate study, as well as a National Defense Education Act Fellowship.

During his years at UNC Charlotte over 20,000 students had enrolled in the classes he taught until he retired in 2005. During his lifetime, he enjoyed a two-profession career having practiced pharmacy for several years, mostly for Eckerd Drugs (now Rite Aid) including the years following his retirement from UNC Charlotte in 2005.

His greatest passion in life were his dogs, the Siberian Huskies, Pomeranians, and Shetland Sheepdogs. Dan was an approved AKC dog show judge for over thirty years, judging dog shows all over the country, as well as in Italy, Spain, Estonia and Australia. He served as President of the Piedmont Kennel Club of Charlotte and was also a member of the Siberian Husky Club of America and the American Shetland Sheepdog Association. Over the years he authored numerous articles related to purebred dogs which appeared in various canine magazines.