Daniel Wickett

Daniel Earl Wickett, born January 22, 1966, beloved father, brother, nephew, cousin and friend, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2025 at the age of 59, surrounded by loved ones.

Dan graduated from Detroit Catholic Central in 1984 and went on to earn his bachelor's degree in Statistics from the University of Michigan in 1988. Dan spent the majority of his professional career working as a quality manager at Almetals.

Dan was heavily involved in the athletic department of St. Raphael, where his three children attended middle school. He was a basketball coach for years, ultimately going on to become the athletic director for the school. His passion for the sport, teaching and helping the youth kept him in these roles, even after his children had moved on to high school.

One of Dan's greatest passions in life was the arts, and he belonged to a large and beloved community in the Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor areas. Dan was an avid reader, having founded The Emerging Writers Network and later co-founding a non profit publishing company, Dzanc Books. Both organizations have helped writers get their works out into the world, using the proceeds to fund creative writing initiatives in the metro Detroit community. He was one of the organizers and the host of the artist series Brain Candy, which has given local artists the opportunity to share their poetry, short stories, music and art with the community. These organizations touched many lives, and none of that would have been possible without Dan.

He will be deeply missed by his loving children Chase (KC), Stassie and Dalton; his sister Beth; and cherished aunts, uncles and cousins.

Dan was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Daniel and Kathleen and his dear Aunt Mary Jo Cameron.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that those who wish to honor Dan's memory consider making a donation to Dzanc, the foundation he co-founded, to help continue the work and legacy he so passionately began.

Dan Wickett's Celebration of Life

A memorial for Dan has been planned for September 27th at John N Santeiu & Son Funeral Home in Garden City, MI. There will be a visitation from 1 - 3:30PM and a celebration of life that will start at 3:30PM. This will not be your typical service, but rather something more in tune with Dan's passions. We are planning to have a handful of local artists that he has worked with in the past perform in his honor. This celebration will last approximately two hours and will conclude with an extended hour of visitation where anyone who wishes to do so, can say a few words.