Danny Spaulding

Brought into the world smiling on August 26, 1950 in Joliet, Illinois, Danny Spaulding of Council, ID passed away suddenly at his mountain home on Wednesday, May 29th. It was a peaceful spring day shared with the love of his life, his wife Mary. Taken from us too soon, the family finds solace knowing he was in his favorite place on earth, the home he built overlooking Council Valley with nothing but his own two hands and a dream. Sitting upon the large central stone hearth Danny and Mary built from gathered Idaho granite, sits an engraved stone from Danny on their recent 54th wedding anniversary stating, “Mary, my love for you was etched in stone. Forever yours, Danny.” He loved to tell the story of seeing Mary for the very first time while she was working as a car hop, saying to himself, “I am going to marry that girl.” He was a hopeless romantic until his last day on earth.

Danny loved deeply and made a point to share that love with those around him. Always reminiscing and drawing you into poignant conversations, he made the most of shared moments. Every interaction was a blessing, as he left having expressed and knowing the deep connection and love that he shared with many. A stubbornly selfless man, he lived entirely for his family and nothing brought him more joy than to spend time with them. He leaves behind his three daughters Shannon, Kerri, and Samantha, along with his sons in law Tim DeHaas, Troy Vaughn, and Joe Rinaldi respectively. When the gift of his first grandchild from Shannon and Tim, his namesake Danielle, came along, he bought a license plate that read “HAPPINESS IS BEING A GRANDPARENT.” That sentiment held true year after year as they were blessed with 5 more lovely grandchildren, Codie and Justin DeHaas; and Chloe, Kaylee, and Daisy Vaughn. Danielle once again brought him a wonderful new title with the arrival of her sons, Jack and Joe. One of his favorite “Papa jokes” was saying with a grin, “I always knew I was a good grandpa, but I never thought I would be a great grandpa!”

One of the best parts of having a large, boisterous family for Danny was building an instant party crew wherever he went. Just add Willie Nelson and Coors Light and he had his sing-along crowd, men to arm wrestle, girls to dance with, and young audiences to gather and listen to the tales of yesteryear he wove with a cigar in his mouth and a twinkle in his eye. Even as the family has grown and spread across the country, they always make their way back together and at the center of laughter was their papa. Within hours of his passing, everyone gathered from near and far at the cherished family home to mourn this great loss, honoring his memory together, hand in hand, heart to heart, just as he would have wanted. 
 

Danny started his working years young, managing multiple newspaper and ice cream routes before he had finished grade school. The rewards of hard work became central to his being, though those rewards changed over time. In his teens, his eyes may have been on the brand new 1967 royal blue Firebird he courted Mary with, but by the time Shannon was born, his focus changed quickly. When Kerri came along, he traded his Corvette in for a station wagon. Wanting to provide their family the freedom and fresh air of mountain life, Dan and Mary headed west to Idaho. His sister Janet and brother-in-law Larry joined them on the adventure, where Dan and Larry made construction their full-time careers. Danny moved on to commercial drywall which brought him all over the US. He clocked countless miles and Willie Nelson got nearly exclusive play time in his truck, making “On the Road Again” and “Hello Walls” family classics. At its height, S & S Drywall was USGs top West coast customer - that’s a lot of sheetrock! At some point all of his daughters worked for him, and though he never let them work too much he made sure they learned the correct way of doing things and toughened them up. He had a hard time hanging up his tool belt and was generous and helpful to a fault. When any friend or family needed help with a project, he was always there, hammer in hand. There isn’t a family member’s house that doesn’t have his blood, sweat, and tears built into it. His sons in law especially were grateful for the patient way he taught them many skills over the years, as well as the memories hunting, fishing, and shenanigans. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Keith and Helen Irene Spaulding. Having lost his father, his best friend too long ago, a joyous reunion is surely taking place. He is survived by his brother John and sisters Pam, Janet, and Tammy. He was a beloved uncle, nephew, and friend to many. He never met a stranger, and his big, kind heart has left an impression on everyone he met.

Danny would have wanted no better send off than one last party! Please join his family in celebrating his life on Sunday June 30th at 3:00 - 6:00 PM at the American Legion Hall in Council, ID 2046 US Highway 95.  

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