Go back with me to the late 60's early 70's. Dan was traveling between Alaska, Canada, and the NW lower 48. I learned very quickly that if he asked you to make something he needed, you were in for a major production. Sample button holes would be made and pulled until they pulled apart. He wanted waterproof cloth bags for his cooking utensils that could keep grease or soot from getting on anything else if he couldn't wash the pans.

I wanted him to have reflective tape on his dark clothing when he was hitchhiking so he wouldn't get hit by a car and so he could be seen early enough for some one to stop and pick him up. He pointed out there were times he didn't want to be seen! So I made a sleeve with ellastic at both ends to be pulled on over his coat sleeve. It had a big reflective- tape arrow on t allowing him to bend his arm and try pointing up, out , or down to see which worked best for stopping cars or trucks. He headed out for months without hearing from him. HE knew he was fine , WE weren't sure if he ever made it.

Dan got work surveying the road north from Wasilla and watched the big, warm trucks going up the highway. it sure beat standing in the snow and wind. he wrote the teamsters union number on a large piece of cardboard and stood on the highway outside of Wasilla with a big smile on his face and his thumb out. A rig quickly stopper for this "trucker". He rode along talking about wanting to drive and ended up switching seats and going up the haul road and back with him and other drivers. he took his test, got his license, joined the union and headed out.

then came the time they wanted to learn more about what each did. nancy took a notebook , climbed in with dan and interviewed truckers for her " book " at fuel and food stops. Then Dan put on a white coat and became an "associate" and saw the people she worked with.

they were definately a pair!

and the best part of all is that this gene pool lives on in jessica and daniel who seem to have gotten the best of both. Call on me , Nancy, Jess, Daniel, Brian and rene,- anytime, anywere.(I cant guarantee quality.....)

all of you are so loved.

alma

This is Bobby Levine.

John and Sam's best friend, and brother from New York.

I can't put into words the shock and horror I feel for Dan and all of you.

What compounds these feelings for me is that we recently spent such a wonderful time together at the celebration of John and Sam's marriage in New York. In fact, I probably spent more time with the Drydens than I did the Kellys. But because of you, I felt like a Kelly.

I have such a vivid memory of sitting around the pool late a night and all of us were surounding Dan, almost like a tribal elder as he told of life in Alaska, recalling Daniel's premature birth, the great work Jessica and Brian are doing and your recent trip to Italy.

On behalf of my family, who have known and loved John since he was in diapers, you can be assured that you are in the thoughts of people as far away as New York.