The memorial service for Daniel Lewis Gilpin, of Blue Earth, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at the Blue

Earth Area High School. Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.com. Patton Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Blue Earth is handling the arrangements.

Dan died peacefully in his favorite chair at home on Friday, May 5, 2006. He was 62 years old.

Dan was born on Jan. 6, 1944, the son of Myron and Helen (Weeks) Gilpin. After being raised in Albert Lea, Dan was a long standing member of the Blue Earth community. Upon earning his degrees from Mankato State University and the University of Northern Iowa, Dan took a position with Blue Earth High School. He was a dedicated teacher for 35 years. He taught a vast array of subjects, his favorites being physics and chemistry.

Dan was an active community member and involved with the Blue Earth Light & Water Board, the BEA wrestling program and was a PTRA member. Scouting, nature, and conservation were important to Dan. He was an Eagle Scout and helped his son with Scouting.

People will remember Dan as someone who spent hours biking through Blue Earth, loving to visit with everyone, and adventuring the United States via camper, canoe, R.V., sailboat, automobile and, of course, bicycle.

Dan had a lifelong love of learning, exploring and analytical thinking. He was always in pursuit of discovering truths and exploring new ideas.

Throughout his life Dan was a hard-worker who had a wealth of life experiences. He was a handyman and was known to be able to fix anything. His family will remember his whistling, which was always a signal of his presence.

Dan lived his life in Blue Earth with his family including spouse, Karen (Noel) Gilpin, who he married on Dec. 21, 1968; two children, Tia (Matthew) Patrick of Richmond, Va., and Chad Gilpin of Annapolis, Md.; two sisters, Carol (David) Anderson of Harriman, Texas, and Ruth (Tom) Thomas of Denton, Texas; and two brothers, Paul (Linda) Gilpin of Des Moines, Iowa and Jay Gilpin of Del Ray Beach, Fla.

Dan was a devoted husband and father, who treasured his family.

Should friends desire, expressions of sympathy may take the form of a donation to the Dan Gilpin Memorial Scholarship Fund that is being established.