Daniel Robert Glick

Daniel Robert Glick

July 13, 1952—December 14, 2020

Daniel Robert Glick, man about town, air, and sea, made his final voyage on Monday, December 14. He was 68. A lover of all things fun and adventurous, Dan lived a life as unique as it was fulfilling. Born in St. Louis on July 13, 1952, to Elaine (née Mendelson) and Eugene Glick, Dan moved to California in 1968 and attended Woodside High School. He soon turned his attention to hot-air ballooning, which quickly became his passion, and he started Sunrise Balloons in Palm Springs in 1975. Dan prided himself on founding and operating one of the first balloon companies in the Coachella Valley, launching an industry there that has since become an icon of its landscape and part of the desert's lore. He moved to Temecula full-time in 1994, having first brought ballooning to the Southern California wine country in 1977. Dan was a fixture in his community and known to all for his jovial nature, hearty laugh, helping hand to many, and all-around joie de vivre. Full of love for his family and friends, Dan balanced a carefree approach to life with his focus on safety and kindness. "When the safety is there, the good times will follow" was his oft-repeated motto. Whether he was cutting waves on his Jet Ski, painting the sky with his colorful balloon, or cruising down the freeway in his convertible, Dan knew how to have—and was himself—never anything short of a good time. His favorite memory to share from childhood was when a Playboy bunny paid him a visit over family weekend at Camp Nebagamon in Wisconsin. With his own family unable to make the trip, Dan's father—then the landlord of the Playboy Club of St. Louis—dispatched a bunny, Ms. Rita Howe, in his parents' stead. With this, Dan cemented his status early on as the coolest guy with the most attractive girl. He has been the envy of many a teenage boy ever since.

Always forward-thinking to the next, best, and most exciting, Dan will be remembered, celebrated, and forever cherished by his sons, Sam (Emily) and Adam Glick (Joshua Solon), of San Francisco and New York City, respectively; his siblings, Linda Glick (Steve Cohen) of San Francisco; Steve Glick and Trudi Carey (the late Jacob Israelachvili), of Santa Barbara; his niece, Jan Rapson-Holt, of Churchton, Maryland; his nephews, Nathan and Sam Carey (Gabrielle Godin), also of Santa Barbara; his former wife, Robin Young, of Palm Desert; and his dear friend and partner in ballooning, Megan Franks, of Temecula.

In one of the last messages Dan shared, his outlook on life was clear: "What do you do when the music is so good and you can't get anything done? Just dance, I guess."

In lieu of donations, Dan would have preferred you purchase a Sunrise Balloons gift certificate.