Daniel Eugene Nestor

Dan was born to a single mom, living a very modest childhood. Summers he spent on a farm with no other kids about. I think this solitary play began his journey of living in his head while entertaining himself. His mom was an avid church-goer so Dan spent hours each week at services and visiting elderly relatives, sitting in a chair with no toys or things to do.  He himself taught Sunday school for many years.  As a youth, he quickly realized they were paying rent to people for their modest quarters-his bedroom one time being a storage closet with a bed in it. These experiences, I think, sparked a future interest in real estate. He was up early every day for his paper route to earn money to buy his clothes.  In high school, he worked at a grocery story and cleaned the owner’s boat on the weekends, creating another interest he acted on as an adult.

Dan quickly realized that math was his gift, so he majored in math in college, where he commuted to classes.  Sometimes, a few of those classes were missed because of a hot game of Euchre at the union.  Such absences, however, never stopped him from acing those math tests.  Other subjects , however, were more boring and those striped Cliff note books saved many a project!

After graduation, Dan taught high school math at a small school in Wisconsin, where he met Bert, thus beginning a 53 year joyous union.  Dan received a national grant to attend the U. of Notre Dame for his master’s degree, another dream became reality, getting to experience the exciting world of serious college football. Dan and Bert then moved to Illinois where he continued to teach math at the high school and college level, teaching evening classes after a full day at school.  Before they started a family, he and Bert took a 6-week trip to Europe, doing the very budget thing, but for two people who had been nowhere, it was yet another dream he got to experience.  Soon after, Dan and Bert had two wonderful children, Kristin and Marc.  Bert obtained a real estate broker’s license, enabling them to begin buying and flipping houses.  He eventually bought 1/3 of an apartment complex, managing the entire complex while still teaching each day.  Eventually, Dan sold that enterprise, enabling him to buy that boat from high school plans.  The family and many friends spent many a wonderful time cruising the Illinois River, Dan serving as club Commodore several years.  His sense of leadership and organization always led him to effectively direct others.  During those years he and the family remained active in church, going on some mission trips, one being to an orphanage in Brazil, where he built fences-more wood-and taught math.  His strong sense of caring and sharing directed many decisions and actions.

To get away from busy schedules, Dan and Bert bought a condo on a large lake in Wisconsin, trading in that big boat for a ski boat and a wave runner.  There were many fun adventures, but Dan decided more space was needed, so he built a larger house, giving himself a wonderful woodshop, where he really had an opportunity to expand his woodworking skills and creativity, making more gifts for friends and family.  Then, once the kids grew up and moved, there was now too much space, so he downsized, the woodshop now living in ½ of the garage, but amazing creations still kept appearing.

 In the middle of these relaxing times, Marc decided they should climb Mt. Kilimanjaro!  For the kid who spent years of quiet times at the farm, adventures were mounting.  Back at the lake cottage, Dan finally hopped on a bike and went for rides in the area, flat though it was. And then, exploration called again and he and Bert traveled to the Far East, realizing yet another dream and actually meeting up with Marc in Thailand as he was traveling vast parts of the world.There have been other wonderful journeys, but as the years went by, the most meaningful happenings were the marriages of his children and the birth of four wonderful grandchildren. He just loved reading stories, playing games, and letting them help him in the woodshop.  He was a superb role model of generosity, kindness and love. He was always ready to help, to lead and provide answers to dilemmas.  He was a self-made man of great accomplishments, who dreamt, planned precisely and took charge to achieve his many goals.  We all know he tended to live in his head a lot, but when he joined the rest of us, he spoke with intelligence, wisdom and that delightful dry sense of humor.

There is so much more we could talk about, but his humble manner would feel that enough had been said.  So many lives were enriched by being part of his life.