Danielle Dante

LIMA — Danielle Dante, aka Bernice Maria Chiboucas, passed away May 12, 2018 at Lima Convalescent Home, where she'd sung to residents in years past and the staff stopped by her bedside to tell her she'd been "everyone's favorite entertainer."

Danielle was born Bernice Maria De Croce on May 18, 1940 in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the late Nick and Concetta ("Connie" Nucci) De Croce. On May 7, 1992 she married the love of her life, drummer Charles "Chick Dante" Chiboucas, who preceded her in death on May 20, 1994 and whom she met and performed alongside as a singer and dancer at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida in 1968.

Danielle loved to share her show biz stories as a professional singer and dancer when she performed across the country with entertainers that included Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darren, Dave Huddleston, Darren McGavin, Sammy Davis Jr., Don Rickles, Joey Bishop and Gwen Verdon, who she idolized as "in charge and a force" that inspired her.

Danielle came to Lima in 1970 when "Squirt" Joe Guagenti hired her to sing and entertain at the iconic Alpine Village restaurant. She taught dance to scores of Lima / Allen County youth in the 80s, then sang at a number of assisted living facilities, until recently.

She is survived by her son Nick Kellis and his significant other Melissa Elmquist, of Lima, and her daughters Samantha Gossard-Dykstra, of Kansas City, and Natalie Gossard, of Sidney; stepson Charles "Tas" Chiboucas of Tacoma, Washington and stepdaughter Vickie McDonald-Allen, of Vandalia; plus an extended Abruzzo Italian family on the east coast.

Danielle included as her "adopted" extended family dear friends from her time as an entertainer abroad and from decades living in Lima, specifically 25-plus years-worth of residents at the Mark Royale Apartments, where she was known as "Mrs. D". She counted as her "adopted daughters" her neighbor Monica Davis Cowan and her beloved puppy Chi Chi; Pam Fried of Lima's The Lion The Niche and the Wardrobe; and her "other son", Steve Shisler, of Lima.

The family wishes to thank nurse Karen and the rest of the simply outstanding staff at Lima Convalescent Home; the truly special St. Rita's Hospice team; and also the management and physical therapy teams at Liberty (where Danielle spent this past winter), Dr. Khalil's office staff, the excellent physicians who treated her at St. Rita's Mercy Health, OIO, Lima Pathology and The Vein Care Center; Pam's husband Vince Fried, Steve's wife Shannon Shisler, Dick and Mary Lane; Chaplain Herb Wilker of St. Rita's Hospice; and Father Kent and Sister Yvonne of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

Visitation will begin at 2pm at Chamberlain-Huckeriede Funeral Home on Sunday, May 20, with a memorial at 3pm, an opportunity for friends and family to share brief celebration stories, and a blessing from Father Kent.

Danielle battled two forms of cancer and loved mentoring a generation of Lima's artists and performers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either St. Rita's Hospice at 959 W. North St. Lima, OH 45805, or the 2018 Student Integrated Arts Filmmaker Bootcamp via http://heartlandimage.org/honor-danielle/. Special thanks to Maria Sanko for donating to and chairing this year's student boot camp in Danielle's honor.

Online memories may be expressed to the family at https://www.chamberlainhuckeriede.com/testimonials. To read more about Danielle's escapades from off Broadway to the Encore Theater in Lima, visit https://www.chamberlainhuckeriede.com/listings for her "extended" obituary.