Daniel T. Anderson

Daniel T. "Danny" Anderson, Beloved Brother & Uncle, 64, of Rockford, passed away Tuesday, November 26, 2024 after a sudden illness. Daniel was born March 24, 1960 in Rockford the son of Orvin and Sonja (Rostamo) Anderson. Daniel graduated from East High in the Class of 1978. Danny loved to golf and fish, and he enjoyed all sports and especially cheering on his beloved Green Bay Packers. He was an easy-going guy who loved a good time. He loved his family and friends - he never turned down a get together with them. He liked to travel when he was able. Danny was a beloved son & brother. He worked at several Rockford businesses most currently working for the Rockford Park District. He was a lifetime member of The 3L Club. Danny will be missed by many.
Daniel is survived by his sister, Karla Anderson; nephews, Bryan (Catie) Dal Santo of Rockford and Alex Dal Santo of Austin TX; brother-in-law, Tom Dal Santo of Rockford; special cousin, David (Lynn) Peterson of Rockford; and several cousins, aunts, and a large host of friends. Predeceased by parents, and sister, Karen Dal Santo (2016).
Memorial Service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at Fred C. Olson Chapel 1001 2nd Avenue Rockford, IL. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service. A lunch will be held immediately following the service at the 3L Club Danny's home away from home. Memorials may be made to the family. To share a memory or condolence, visit olsonfh.com.
Karla's Reading at Danny's Service:
Thank you all for coming, but I really wish we weren't here today. To lose my brother, my last sibling, I have struggled to find the words, so I hope this captures him. Danny and I, or Oscar as I still called him, I think the only person left allowed to still call him that, we could bicker and fight like cats and dogs. On some parts of life, we didn't see eye to eye. We approached certain things very differently, and those differences could cause friction. Both of us stubborn and hard headed, neither willing to back down. I gave him some tough love, sometimes a little too tough, but, to his credit, he was pretty quick to forgive and forget. A disagreement was quickly forgotten by him and the next day he could act like unkind words had not been spoken. But today I put the memories of those unkind words and tough days to bed for the last time, and remember the good, kind hearted, funny guy we all knew and loved.
I remember the brother growing up, the one Karen and I of course fought with, over the tv, the car radio, the front seat, the telephone and more. The brother who often was in a uniform; be it Boy Scouts, softball or football. Riding bikes and running the neighborhood with his neighborhood pals and the Green cousins. Regular family get togethers, running with cousin Eddie. In high school he played softball and was the young high school football star who loved the game and was beyond furious if they lost.
I remember the guy who could recite and act out any episode of the Andy Griffith show. He could watch it over and over like it was new and still laugh every time while simultaneously reciting the dialog.
I remember traveling together to Las Vegas. I can still picture him dancing down the hotel hallway far ahead of me, "look at me, I have my suitcase on wheels" as he spun the bag around, and I struggled far behind carrying my heavy suitcase without any wheels and no offer from him to help.
I remember the guy who could hold court in a room, keeping everyone laughing, telling a joke or a one liner, who could draw a crowd.
My mom, how she loved him, he couldn't do too much wrong in her eyes. She could get pretty mad at him sometimes, she knew his faults, but as she was with all of us pretty quick to overlook them. He was her tall, good looking son and she loved him. Once Aunt Karen was visiting, her and mom were sitting at the dining room table after a few holiday drinks. The house was full so I was assigned to the living room sofa, eavesdropping, when mom says "yes, we love our daughters, but those sons.there is just something about them." To which Aunt Karen whole heartily agreed. Now at the time, I was of course mad to overhear this, but, I also knew deep down it was true. She had a soft spot in her heart just for him.
I remember the guy who rescued his dog Shannon from the pound. He loved that dog and still one of the best dogs I've ever known. As my brother in law Tom says, a dog is only as good as his owner, and he was a loving dog dad and thus had a loving and sweet buddy, always by his side.
I remember the guy who loved to golf and watch the Packer games with our Uncle Wally and Cousin Dave. Dave and him still watched the Packers, still golfed occasionally, for the most part talked or texted pretty much every day. Dave kept an eye on him and for that, I will always be grateful. He was the brother he never had.
Eventually Danny had some serious setbacks, and moved into my house. What I initially thought was a short term solution turned into 15 years. Lots and lots of ups and down, believe me, but at the core I was always trying and hoping to help him find his way back up. Looking back now, and there are some in this room who may find this hard to believe, but I am, especially now, grateful for those years. It was a sense of peace for me to know where he was at night and I had someone to lend a hand if needed. I put him to work mowing the lawn and snow duty, now sometimes, a lot of times, that was one of those fights, but to this day I knew if I called him and needed something he would come. Danny did get back on his feet. He had a job he liked, some money in the bank, his own apartment. He was proud of himself and so was I. It was what Karen and I had wanted for him for so long, to be the old Danny again.
We come from a large family on both mom and dads side, and Danny loved all his Aunts, Uncles, cousins and nephews. He would often ask me if I had talked to so and so, what was going on, tell them I said Hi. He always asked how our nephews were doing, Have you talked to Alex? What's he been doing? What's Bryan been up to? Please know he always thought highly of you all and often asked about you.
Danny loved his many friends. Old school friends who became lifelong friends, and old and new friends he easily made along the way. His phone was always ringing with his Andy Griffith show ring tone, even in the middle of our nephew Bryans wedding. He always had a story to tell about one of his friends, and I know how much he loved, respected and appreciated you all.
Like our Dad, Danny WAS a lifetime member of the 3L club, a member for 43 years, and had the same love and sense of camaraderie Dad always found there. For him, it was a place of brotherhood, and everybody knew his name. He bartended for many years and worked hard at it. He was released from that job earlier this year, a move I was very mad about on his behalf. Yes, some health issues and age might have slowed him down and made the job a bit harder than it used to be, but I let it be known I still thought he deserved better than he got. Despite his hurt and anger, he rose above and turned the page, and continued going to see his friends, enjoy some meals, try his luck on the daily book, and yes, enjoy some cocktails. It was a comfortable place, where memories of mom and dad, Karen and other relatives and friends long since gone, where memories of dear old days gone by, still linger for us.
When our sister Karen passed away 8 years ago, it was a knockout punch for both of us. She was usually the go- between, the peace keeper. With her gone, we formed a better side to our relationship and I am so glad of that. I hope he knew I only always wanted the best for him, wanted to see him a winner, and in his way, he definitely was.
His Andy Griffith has a quote, "You know when you're young you think you will always be. As you become more fragile, you reflect, and you realize how much comfort can come from the past" So today, and looking ahead, I will take comfort from the past, and memories of my dear brother Oscar.