Daniel Dean Morton, Traverse City, MI

Daniel Dean Morton, 78 of Traverse City, passed away Sept. 25, 2020.

The middle child of Norman Earl Morton and Martha Elisabeth Grubaugh, Dan Morton was born and raised in Detroit. He met his lifelong sweetheart Arlene Reinhart at Osborne High. They married in 1964 and raised three children in the Detroit area and South Bend, Indiana.

Dan graduated with a master's degree in electrical engineering from Wayne State. He had a long career at Bendix (later Allied Signal) designing aviation electronic controls but retired early to prioritize travel, service and his all time favorite activity, reading. He loved books about great minds studying the mysteries of the universe and the human mind.

Dan made frequent visits to his children and grandchildren on the east and west coasts. In the late 90's, he lived on the central Pacific island Kiribati, where he helped the national telecom company establish their internet network while Arlene worked as a medical officer for Peace Corps.

Having always longed for a home with a view of the water, Dan eventually found it in Traverse City. He enjoyed sailing and kayaking on the bay or just watching the moonlight on the water. He was a longtime member of the choir at Central United Methodist Church and Traverse City Chorale. For the past decade, he volunteered with AARP Tax Aide.

His life was cut short by a terminal brain tumor, but he died grateful for the many blessings, especially the love of family and community.

He was a man of quiet intelligence, shy but warm, an amateur woodworker and excellent dancer with a deep love of music and a rich baritone. He loved animals and hikes in the woods and anything sweet.

He will be greatly missed by those he leaves behind, including his wife of 56 years; his three children, Kathleen Marie (David Nadelman) Morton, Colleen (John) Morton-Busch, and Daniel (Natalie Ferrari) Morton; his five grandchildren, Jacob, Harris, Dylan, Cosmo and Cielo; and his devoted dog, Onna.