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From:
Stephen Panza
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Wednesday, November 6, 2019
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I have known Dan for nearly 16 years. He was as easy going as they come, but could be serious and meant business if you tried to play games with him. He was always a tinkerer, and loved his tech. He could not pass up the opportunity to play a joke on someone and loved to laugh. Like I said knew him for almost 16 years, but didn't really get to know him well until the last couple. Unfortunately family losses always bring people together, and always make you wish you had taken the time out of your schedule to have been together all along. We always worked well together and enjoyed the satisfaction of doing things ourselves. Whether we were helping each other out with a repair, some odd job around our houses, cutting and splitting and stacking fire wood for the winter, and even rehabbing with us after surgery we would always talk telling stories about something that we did when we were younger or something that we did "on the job" and things we hoped we would get to do before its too late. I loved hearing about his Air Force days. He always seemed like he was thirty years younger and full energy when he talked about them. He used to laugh so hard when he would tell me about the time they ran an engine test at full military power and "accidentally" blew over a guard booth, with them in it. There was always a gleam when he talked about how he used to get Crown Royal from the commissary and smuggle it in his parka to the restaurants in the town where he was stationed. The owners loved him because he was cheaper than the suppliers at the time and the loggers would hide him from the RCMP because he took care of them as well. He had stories about how he and the ground crews would modify the external fuel tanks on the F 102 to carry lobster from base to a base, how he scrambled a fighter drill just to piss off a superior who was giving him a hard time, and how he would run his friends BMW motorcycle like he was Evil Kanevil himself. He was always full of ideas and loved to solve problems, especially if it meant buying a new tool. He always worried about Karen and I and always wanted to help with what ever he could. He used to watch our dog for us while we worked, he probably spent more time with our dog than we did early on. He was very proud of the things he had accomplished and the people in his life, especially his children, grandchildren and furchildren. He was always a fighter having survived multiple valve replacements and prostate cancer. It was no surprise to me what his intention was and why when he was diagnosed with pancreatic and liver cancer. I knew his first instinct was going to be to fight with everything that he could. He first priority was to find a way to be there for all of us. It always was. I will always regret not telling him to skip the chemo and lets just all go on vacation one more time and enjoy the family. I know that he would not have gone that route though. It just wasn't his style not to fight to be there for his family. Although I wish I had spent more time with him earlier, I feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to be with him nearly every day from his diagnosis to his passing. It was a crash course in Dan Kwoka and a class I'll never forget. I wanted to put this memorial together for him, one of the things he had mentioned during a conversation was wanting to not be forgotten. I can certainly sympathize with that as it is one more thing that we had in common. I hope his family and friends will add their own photos, memories and stories so that he will be remembered always by someone.
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From:
Stephen Panza
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Wednesday, November 6, 2019
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From His grandson Christopher Kwoka:
Wow....I cannot believe it today heaven has gained another angel today grandpa you will be missed. Not a day will go by that I will ever forget you or forget the things and lessons you have taught me. You taught me so many things in life from taking my first step Frankie's Diner to fixing cars, cooking (because grandmas was so bad), to being the successful young man that I have become today. You were always strict but always very fair. You were a father figure not only to me but to everyone that walked through the front door of the house. You had a heart of gold a heart that loved everyone no matter what happened, you never judged. Your strength to put up with all of us was the most amazing, you never gave up, never turned your back on anyone, you tried to help in every way possible. You listen, always listened and tried to give someone the best possible answer and way to make sure that the outcome was as successful as it could be. You always wanted to see people be as successful as they can be even if they didn't want to you always made them find a way. I guess what I'm trying to say is you were an amazing man that always made sure your children and grandchildren were successful in every move that they made good or bad you were there to encourage and always said if you start something finish it, do the best that you can, and own it. Always be truthful and never lie because it will get you no where good or fast. You always said shoot for the starts and some day you will be something great, and successful, and happy. Never give up even when it gets tough it will always get better as long as you put your mind to it. You have the tools to be someone in this world as long as you try and give it your best shot always do something and give it 150% of your effort. Life's too short not to do and be all the things you want to be and more. I hope to one day be as amazing a man as you are and accomplish all of my dreams and goals. The things you have taught me will be passed down to my children and the stories I have to share with them about the man you are. I love you and will always miss you but you will always be there with me in my heart just like great grandma, great grandpa, and grandma. I will make you proud of the man I am now and the man I will become. Thank you for everything you have done for me, the sacrifices you have made, the headaches I have given you, and for always being YOU. I love you more than you will ever know. Rest easy. Take care of everyone up there until one day we meet again.
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