The Rev. Dennis Jay Daniel died on April 23, 2022, at the age of 80.
Dennis is survived by his wife of 31 years, the Rev. Dr. Sydney Wilde; his son, Andrew Daniel; his daughter-in-law, Alice Daniel; and his granddaughters, Corrina Stadler, Brianna Stadler, and Abigail Daniel. He also leaves behind his son-in-law, Randy Stadler; and ex-wife, Phyllis Nygaard Daniel. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sabrina Daniel Stadler; his brother, Steven Daniel; and his first wife, the mother of his children, Annabelle Lee.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturday, July 2, 2022, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Chico, 1289 Filbert Avenue, Chico, CA 95926. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom (please see the link on the church’s website).
Donations can be made to the Dennis Daniel Memorial Fund c/o UUFC, 1289 Filbert Avenue, Chico, CA 95926. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolences can be sent to Sydney Wilde, 2682 Fairfield Common, Chico, CA 95928.
Dennis received his B.A. and M.A. from UCLA and received his M.Div. from Claremont School of Theology. He was ordained in 1985 and served a three-point ministry in northern Maine and New Brunswick — The First Unitarian Church of Houlton, Maine; The First Universalist Church in Oakfield, Maine; and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Frederickton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Dennis married the Rev. Sydney Wilde in 1990. For the first two years of their marriage, they served separate churches in northern Maine. In 1992, they were called as Co-Ministers to the Central Unitarian Church of Bergen County in Paramus, NJ. Subsequently they served together as Co-Ministers to The First Unitarian Church of Chicago (interim), The Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, CA (interim); the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Auburn, CA; The Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston, VA; and The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Chico, CA where, after their retirement in 2015, they were named Ministers Emeriti.
Dennis served on the UUMA Executive Committee and spent most of his lifetime supporting affordable housing and shelter for the homeless, women’s health, anti-racism, LGBTQ rights, shelter for abused women, and education for the disadvantaged. Since 2009, he was an active member of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in Chico, CA. As an OLLI Peer Leader, he taught classes on Walden and Thoreau, Rabbinical commentaries on the Hebrew Bible, and Poetry for Insight.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.