Dan J. Rabbitt

Dan J. Rabbitt, 77, of West Lafayette, Indiana, passed away on Friday, January 30, 2026, at Franciscan Health in Lafayette.

Dan was born on February 10, 1948, in Waukegan, Illinois. He graduated from Lincoln-Way High School in New Lenox, IL, and spent more than 30 years as a machine operator for Robert Williams West in Joliet, Illinois. A man of steady faith in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, he was a longtime member of Upper Room Christian Fellowship. He was also a loyal New York Yankees fan.

Dan had a deep love for the outdoors and adventure. His favorite experiences were hiking in state and national parks across the country, including the Smoky Mountains, Kings Canyon, the Redwood Forest, Yosemite, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, and Mount Rainier. He also enjoyed canoeing throughout Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and at the Lake of the Ozarks.

In 1978, shortly after turning 30, Dan embarked on a memorable road trip to Alaska with two friends, Steve Brewer and Phil Wilsey. He often joked about the irony of his last name, "Rabbitt," while driving a Volkswagen Rabbit. During that journey, he witnessed one of his most unforgettable moments when his friend Steve was charged by a moose in Yellowstone after getting too close to film it. A nearby doctor and his wife, a nurse, feared they might need to intervene, but the moose veered away at the last moment.

Two highlights of that trip were visiting Lake Louise in Banff National Park and riding the Jasper SkyTram to the summit of Whistlers Mountain in Jasper National Park. In late May, Lake Louise remained frozen, snow-covered and framed by towering mountain peaks, classic canoe scenes, and winding trails-one of the most photographed landscapes in the Rockies. There, Dan, Steve and Phil met two girls from Switzerland and two outdoors-minded seminary students from Norway whose goal was to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peak on each continent, including Antarctica, and who were heading next to Mount McKinley. The seven of them traveled through the Banff and Jasper National Parks together before splitting up.

At Jasper, Dan stood in awe of sweeping views in every direction from the peak of Whistlers Mountain-a vast skyline of jagged peaks, deep alpine valleys, and rugged terrain. He took in iconic neighboring mountains such as Pyramid Mountain, Mount Edith Cavell, and Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, visible more than 60 miles away.

Continuing north, Dan took the Alaska Ferry from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, to Ketchikan, Alaska, where he climbed Deer Mountain. After reaching the summit, a snowstorm moved in with high winds and near-zero visibility, making the descent a challenging and unforgettable experience.

Even later in life, Dan's spirit for adventure never faded. In August 2014, he set out on a month-long solo journey through many of America's most celebrated parks, traveling from Texas through California, north to Washington, then east to South Dakota before returning home. Among his favorites were the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, Kings Canyon, Sequoia National Park, Yosemite National Park, Redwood National and State Parks, Crater Lake National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, and Olympic National Park. Though he was unable to visit Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier, or Wind Cave National Parks due to a government shutdown during the trip, his enthusiasm for the journey never waned.

Dan is survived by his sister, Sharon Rabbitt of Clarksville, Arkansas.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Upper Room Christian Fellowship, 2234 Indian Trail Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana, with Pastor Andy Byrn officiating.