Daniel DeKeyser

Gladstone, MI
Daniel J. DeKeyser, age 42 of Gladstone, formerly of Sheboygan, WI, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday, June 15, 2023 at his home, after fighting a courageous and lifelong battle with brain tumors and brain cancer.
Dan was born on April 21, 1981, in Sheboygan, WI the son of James and Kathleen (Herro) DeKeyser. He grew up in Hingham, WI and moved to Southern California during high school. Dan graduated from Mission Viejo High School and received his degree in Computer Information Systems from Cal Poly Pomona. After graduation, he interned at the National Institute of Health in Baltimore and then started a web development company in California. He was involved in local music festivals and fundraisers. Dan even reigned as King of the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival. He was particularly good at creating web sites for small local business entrepreneurs. In 2015, he decided to move back to Wisconsin and bought and remodeled a home in Sheboygan, where he worked for Kohler Company until his illness forced him to stop working.
Dan loved country music, particularly live, with his friends, which sometimes involved travel to festivals, line dancing, and socializing. Camping was a favorite activity, plus seeing new sights and capturing them with photographs. He once spent six weeks driving the entire Route 66, stopping and taking in all the iconic sites and documenting them for a photo book for himself and the family. He also loved spending time with family, friends and his cat, Leia. He enjoyed and was good at creative cooking, including Asian dishes, barbecued ribs, and tiramisu. He never let his illness slow him down and was always quick to laugh or make those around him laugh with humorous comments.
Besides his parents, Jim and Kathy DeKeyser of Gladstone, MI, Dan is survived by his brothers, Bill (Michelle) DeKeyser of Franklin, WI and Nick (Mel) DeKeyser of Fort Mills, SC; his Grandpa Don DeKeyser, and his Grandma, Mary Herro. He will be greatly missed by his beloved nieces and nephews: Andrew, Mateo, Liam, Bella, Veronika, and Lily DeKeyser. He is also survived by his aunts and uncles: Joan DeKeyser, Rich & Maria DeKeyser, Carol & Gerry Adler, Jane & Bob Kleiman, Maureen & Joe McKindles, John & Georgia DeKeyser, Mary Jo & Glen Grippen, Sharon Herro, George & Shannon Herro, Melissa & Pablo Gonzalez Herro, and Joe & Roberta Herro. In addition, he leaves behind many cousins and Marco Valli, a former foreign exchange student who is Dan's "Italian brother". He is preceded in death by his Grandma Violet DeKeyser and Grandpa Joe Herro.
Family will receive friends on Monday, July 31, 2023 at the Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone. A memorial mass will follow at 12:30pm at the All Saints Catholic Church multi purpose room in Gladstone with Rev. Fr. Jamie Ziminski officiating.There will be signs in the parking lot and at the funeral home to direct you. A luncheon will take place in the parish hall.