Daniel "Dan" B. Russakis

Daniel Bryan “Dan” Russakis

January 31, 1939 – April 13, 2025

Daniel Bryan Russakis, age 86, passed away peacefully on April 13, 2025, resting in the loving care of his family in Maryland.

Dan was born in Dearborn, Michigan, to James and Olga and grew up alongside his three younger siblings. In his teens, the family relocated to California, where Dan’s adaptable spirit and warm sense of humor took root.

At age 20, Dan married and together they raised three children: Lisa, Barry, and Ardys. A proud family man, he instilled in them a passion for hard work, honesty, and laughter.

By trade, Dan was a skilled painting and decorating contractor who owned his own business for most of his career. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and unwavering dedication to craftsmanship, he transformed countless houses into homes, leaving a legacy of beauty in every brushstroke.

Music, sports, flying, cars, tinkering—Dan’s passions were many and varied:

• Cellist from youth through adulthood, sharing his love of music at community and religious events.
• Die‑hard sports fan, proudly wearing Ravens and Orioles jerseys, though forever loyal to his Detroit Lions.
• Aviator, spending countless weekends aloft with friends, eyes turned toward the horizon.
• Car enthusiast, from his 1951 Ford onward, always tinkering and adding to his cherished collection.
• Tool aficionado, ever fascinated by their design and the possibilities they unlocked.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, James and Olga and his brothers Michael and Tommy. He is survived by his sister, Lynne Granvold (Tim), his children Lisa Smith (Harrison), Barry Russakis (Gwen), and Ardys Russakis (Lincoln); grandchildren Joshua Russakis, Oskar Russakis (Mackenzie), and Simon Russakis; nieces Stacy Pollard‑Hooper (Matt) and Mandy McCutcheon; nephews Jason and Jarod Russaky and a host of great‑nieces, great‑nephews, and extended family.

Dan’s spirit—meticulous in craft, full of melody, and always reaching for the sky—will forever resonate in the hearts of all who knew and loved him. May he rest in peace.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Gilchrist Hospice.  Ardys, Barry, and Lisa extend their heartfelt thanks to the Gilchrist Hospice team for their compassionate care and support during Dan’s final days.

Private services will be held.