Wayne B. Daniels, 80, of Boulder, CO, died on December 1, 2012 at Denver Health Medical Center.
Wayne was born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts to Doris and Harold Daniels, the older of two children. He grew up in Shrewsbury, MA and attended the Shrewsbury public schools. Wayne graduated from Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire in 1950 and earned a bachelor's degree from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1954 with a major in geography and geology. Upon graduation from Middlebury, he joined the US Marine Corps' officer training program and served as a Marine Corps/Naval aviator for the next 20 years. He retired from military service in 1984 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In 1958, Wayne married Jane Beene Allison of South Pittsburg, Tennessee. Together they moved to Boulder, CO to attend graduate school at the University of Colorado. They moved briefly to St. Louis, Missouri in 1959 where Wayne worked as a cartographer for the Aeronautical Charts and Information Center and earned his teaching certification from Washington University. They soon returned to Boulder, where Wayne completed his Master's degree in basic science at the University of Colorado while serving in the Marine Corps Reserves. He began his teaching career in 1962 at Casey Junior High School where he received an Outstanding Young Teacher of the Year Award. During the summers he worked at the National Bureau of Standards. Wayne taught geology and physics at Fairview High School until he retired in 1989. He furthered his own learning by taking numerous courses at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden and Adam's State University in Alamosa. After retiring from public education, Wayne returned to aviation and taught flying out of the former Jefferson County Airport for over a decade.
In 1998, Wayne and Jane moved to Breckenridge, where they enjoyed a very active "retirement" filled with hiking, skiing, biking, volunteering and for Wayne, flying. They also travelled extensively throughout the world and made many trips across the country to visit family and friends. Wayne was an active member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Breckenridge. Wayne and Jane moved back to the Boulder area in 2012 to be closer to family and friends on the Front Range. In Colorado, Wayne found the perfect place to enjoy the great loves of his life: Jane, his children, aviation, geology and education. He never lost his passion for, or commitment to any one of these.
Wayne was a lifelong learner who was fascinated by the earth, sky and cosmos. He was constantly advancing his own knowledge and sharing his curiosity, insights and wisdom with others.
Wayne is survived by his wife, Jane Beene Daniels, his brother, Alan Daniels (Barbara) of Pocasset, Massachusetts, his daughters, Katherine Daniels (Josh Leicht) of North Salem, New York and Caroline Daniels Chappell (Tom) of Arvada, Colorado. He has five grand-children: Jacob Leicht (13), Benjamin Leicht (11), Kaylee Chappell (9), Nathan Chappell (7) and Phillip Chappell (3).
In lieu of flowers, donations in Wayne's memory may be made to the American Heart Association, St John's Episcopal Church (Breckenridge, CO), St Aidan's Episcopal Church (Boulder, CO), the University of Colorado School of Education, Middlebury College or Kimball Union Academy.
A burial service will be held on Monday, June 24, 2013 at 10:00 am Central time at the Bean-Roulston Cemetery in Sweetens Cove, TN.