Donald Spigel

Dan (Donald) Spigel was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1940 to Samuel and Elizabeth Spigel, who had immigrated from Russia. He was the second to the youngest of five children, preceded in death by Norman Spigel, Ruth Buchman, Katherine Rabin and Stanley Spigel. He graduated Arlington Heights High School in 1958 and later attended the University of Texas at Arlington. Throughout school, he worked in his family's pawn shops. Dan followed in the footsteps of his family and started his career in sales. After college, he started a tuxedo business in Fort Worth, Texas named Tuxedo Royale. Dan was highly motivated in various ventures. One of these was when visiting Norman and his wife Jerry in El Paso, Texas, he ran downstairs saying, "I have an amazing idea". That led to him starting the first known tuxedo brochure company and it became extremely successful. Throughout his life, he owned a restaurant, art gallery as well as publishing a wine newsletter and boating magazine. In 1980, he went on to work with his brother Stanley in commercial real estate. Dan received the Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal in 1993 for saving two men and two boys from 45 degree water in Lake Texoma. The paramedics said the boys would not have survived had they stayed in the water for five minutes longer. Danny proved himself to be a hero on that day in 1992. Dan had a deep sense of heritage and a great appreciation for his Jewish community. He gave talks at the Jewish Community Center of Dallas, where he discussed the pogroms of Russia as well as the holocaust. Dan's creativity could always be seen. He loved photography, painting, golf, sailing, camping, bicycle riding, cars, skiing, food, he was an avid traveler and an audiophile. Dan performed in many plays as an actor and later became an independent filmmaker creating his own movie about his Mother. He had a passion for life that was quite remarkable. Danny valued his family and friends and loved being around people where he would tell his amazing stories. He will always be remembered in all of our hearts for being adventurous, creative, artistic, caring and having a wonderful sense of humor. Danny will be missed terribly by his loving wife, his two children, Adam Spigel, Laurie Wardell, her husband, Jason and his grandson, Joshua Spigel. Other family members who will miss him greatly are his sister-in-law, Barbara Spigel, his niece, Julie Zimmermann and her husband, Michael and their daughters, Jordan and Tori, his nephew, Stuart Spigel, his nephew, Gregory Rabin and his wife, Lidia and their daughter, Vanessa, his niece, Jeri Buchman Weil and her husband, Doug Weil, his niece, Jan van Lienden and her husband, Dale, his nieces, Jill Buchman and Pam Rabin, his great nephew, David Weil and his wife, Sahar, who just gave Dan his latest great, great niece, Tiana, great nephews, Max Toback and Kevin Weil, his great niece, Ayse Navarro and her husband, Rodney, his great, great niece, Kamehalani Manco and her wife, Qori. He will also be missed by all his cousins, Jonathan Spigel and his wife Kim, Sheryl Spigel, David Nudleman and his wife, Elisa.... and many more.