On death and dying - Obituary

 

Daniel J “Dan” Sheehan

August 16, 1944 – March 16, 2008

Dan Sheehan passed away, after a long battle with cancer, on March 16, 2008. Dan was 64 years old.

He was born in Chicago in 1944, earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Quincy College, in Quincy, Illinois then went on to earn a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Tulsa.

Dan began a successful career as a Clinical Psychologist in Denver, Colorado. In 1975 he was hired as the Director of the Columbia River Mental Health (now Elehan) and he and his wife Mary Ann moved to Vancouver.

In the early 1990’s, Dan opened  Sheehan and Associates and began a second successful career as a Business Consultant. Later he became President and owner of Emerald Leaf U.S, a highly successful international company that licenses patented fruit varieties worldwide.

Dan loved to travel and traveled extensively for both business and pleasure. In recent years, he traveled to Australia, Chile, Singapore, France and South Africa, among others. He made many international friends in his travels, as he always showed a genuine interest in the local people, their customs and history. Dan especially loved to explore the food and wine indigenous to the countries he visited.

A great outdoorsman, Dan had a wide variety of outdoor activities that he enjoyed over the years. He loved nothing better than an early morning hike in the Columbia Gorge or setting off on an ambitious backpacking trip through the Sisters Wilderness with Mary Ann and their friend Mitch Bower. He was an avid fisherman, too. Stalking wily trout in a cold mountain stream with nothing but a fly was his passion.

But the list goes on. He was an active birder with an impressive 753

sightings on his Birders Life List. Dan also loved wild flowers and mushrooming and had an extensive knowledge of different varieties and where they could be found. He hosted an annual gathering at Hemlock Lake where scores of people would come to hunt Chantrelle mushrooms, enjoy gourmet food and wine and share poetry.

He loved wine and had an impressive collection that he often shared with his many friends. And, he loved poetry and could recite many of his favorite poems by heart. But most of all, Dan loved people. All kinds of people. He always showed a genuine interest in anyone he was talking with and he had an amazing ability to make each person feel important. As a result, Dan leaves behind scores of people who considered him a “close friend.”

Dan Sheehan is survived by his loving wife of  41 years, Mary Ann and their son, Lucas, Portland, Ore; mother, Myra Sheehan, Morro Bay, Ca; brothers Martin Sheehan, Eugene, Ore, Timothy Sheehan, Porterville, Ca and Peter Sheehan,  Morro Bay, Ca; sister Myra Sheehan, Reno, NV. Dan was preceded in death by father, Dan Sheehan and brother, Jack Sheehan.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to one of Dan’s favorite charities: The Nature Conservancy or the Audubon Society.

Please sign the guest book at: www. Columbian.com/obituaries

Comments

[Jason]

damn Lucas, I only met your dad twice, but he was a great guy, I am so sorry for your loss.