Obituary of Daniel Henry Meeker

Daniel Henry Meeker, 72, passed into rest on February 8, 2014 after a sudden onset and short battle with leukemia. Dan will always be remembered fondly by those who loved and knew him. A man with a philosophy that varied day by day, he was always generous and giving. He is preceded in death by his second wife, Karen Meeker. Dan loved to be on the road, or talking with his buddies at the coffee shop. Dan was born in Baltimore, MD to David and Charlotte Meeker. The oldest of four siblings, his life was shaped by his Boy Scouts experiences, working with YMCA youth, the writer Mark Twain, and naturalist John Muir. At the age of 15 he followed the John Muir Trail through Kings Canyon National Park over Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the United States. Dan graduated from Los Gatos High, and earned a B.S. degree in forestry from Humboldt State University in 1968. He received a M.S. degree in Correctional Administration in 1978 from Oregon College of Education. He also attended Eastern Oregon State College in 1984, where he worked on secondary degrees in Mathematics and Biology. Dan worked in many fields, including stints with Lockheed in both Santa Cruz and Sunnyvale. He was also a wild land firefighter, surveyor, and worked in the logging industry as a log truck driver, scaler, and forester. He also worked as a long-haul truck driver in the US and Canada in the early 70's. Additionally he worked at the MacLaren School for Boys in Oregon, and later transferred to eastern Oregon to work with these youth in a camp setting. He returned to California in the 80's to be near his parents in their later years, and started a gardening service. Dan was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Lodge #259 in La Grande, OR. He was a past President, and was active in charity work, and was responsible for youth programs in the community. He was recently also a member of the Aromas Grange, Mid County Senior Center and The Grey Bears. There will be a memorial service on March 15, 2014 at 2:00 PM at Liberty Baptist Church, 2155 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to a charity of the givers choice.