Danny Jay Archuleta

A BIT ABOUT

YOU MY SON

DANNY JAY ARCHULETA

BORN 7/27/1975

ADOPTED 9/17/1975

When you came into Amy, Linda and my lives we received all kinds of comments.

My, what a handsome and beautiful boy. What a cute kid. Oh, how nice.

And even But why a red head.

You know what, adopting you our ginger boy was the one of the best things that Mom and I ever did in our lives. Amy thinks so too.

EAT, as a baby, WOW. Mom had to figure out how to use, not a baby food spoon, but a tablespoon to feed you. Get a tablespoon of food, put it in your mouth which you immediately swallowed and then, very quickly, put a bottle in your mouth while she refilled the spoon. Not done this way, you would scream bloody murder like you were starving. I am still not sure how she was able to get this done. We did not know it then, but these were the first days of your becoming HANGRY.

Dan as a child you were a voracious reader, you still are. This proved to be a challenge for teachers, you kept them on their toes. You challenged statements they had made or what they had introduced to the class. When I heard this from your HS history teacher Mr. Lynch, it made me most proud. He told me how much he enjoyed having you in class. Frequently I ask myself this question, how many people that I know actually sat down and read the Bible? I know you have, as a matter of fact, I know you have read it cover to cover, at least three maybe four times.

Dan, you can be quite convincing, maybe should have been a salesman. Around the 3rd or 4th grade, Mrs. Padilla held show and tells throughout the year. You and your fellow students were to stand up before the class and share what brought to school and what it meant to them. You brought a plaque given to you by your Uncle Larry and Aunt Pat. Mrs. Padilla told us in a teacher conference, that by the time you were finished, every kid in the class was wishing that they had been adopted. Great job.

Growing up you tried several sports including, baseball, football, hockey, soccer, skate boarding, karate, and snowboarding. You talked to me about not wanting to play football, and said “I don’t like being hit”. “But Dan you come home from karate nearly every night with a

split lip, a bloody nose, and even an occasional shiner, I asked “what is up”? Yea, but I know where those strikes started, even though I didn’t see them or didn’t block them. In football, you get clipped or blocked from the back, one has no idea. Made sense to me.

Danny you really missed yet another calling. You should have been a teacher, you have a knack. From your black belt in Shi Zhendo by the age of 12, you taught through High School, to your true love of snowboarding, which you taught at Loveland for many years. Danny you have a real talent of being able to get your point across.

Snowboarding became your real passion at an early age. From skateboarding in my driveway with an 8 foot ramp that scared me to death, you transitioned to snowboarding quite readily.

It was the early days of snowboarding, I did not like the early release bindings, there were none. I was worried you would tear your leg off. You survived, and from what I remember had only one incident of being taken down the mountain and the highway in an ambulance, after your encounter with a tree. You learned boarding fast and well. You love teaching and are really good. Especially with the younger set.

You are also a man of many skills. Now an electrician, can wire a house, a cell tower, a large industrial building or the over the highway traffic information warning signs. You have had experience in construction, dry wall, plumbing and working on your car. Yes, you can and have done many things. As Dave Pappert your most recent boss and friend said, “Dan is a true professional”. Dan, I did not get to tell you this, but many here and I will always remember you as they pass under Traffic information/regulation signs as they travel down the interstates.

One incident. Your cousin Barb De Angelis was on her way home one late evening in downtown Denver and saw this guy pedaling his bicycle like crazy. She wondered to herself, who in the world would be out on a bike in these conditions wearing cargo shorts, it was nearly a whiteout blizzard. Yes, it was DANO, on your way home from another of your gigs as a waiter at Dixons. Another of your many skills.

You have a love for Music and know it well. From Johnny Cash, To Rock, to Classical you enjoy. I remember you attending concerts and are great at seeing bands at small venues throughout the Metro Area. Quite often we would hear of a “new” band to us. You would say, Yea, I know them, I saw them 3-4 years ago at “The Mercury Café” or some small bar in Boulder. They are great, aren’t they? Oh by the way, you know their $50 cover charge? It only cost me $3 bucks at the time, or no cover charge at all!

You are bilingual, not many your age are. You loved surprising people with that skill. From construction sites to even elevators. At one job, riding the elevator with a couple of young Latinas, who were admiring you and commenting in Spanish how good looking you were and what they would like to do with you. After listening to what they said you told them “cierren la puerta, al salir”, (close the door behind you). They were shocked. How fun!

Recalling a camping trip with a couple of my old buddies in the middle of nowhere with no facilities. You were maybe 5. You asked for the TP. I told you to grab the entrenching tool, and make sure you brought the toilet paper back. Low and behold, a short time later, you came back with the strings of used paper. “Dad, what do you want me to do with this toilet paper”. Son, obviously, I did not explain things well enough for you at the time.

My Son, it has been a wonderful time and a great ride, remembering your 60-70 mile bike rides, to arguing on how to get things done. I love you dearly and cannot put into words how much your Mother, Sister, Karen and I miss you. Dano, thank you for being our Son, Brother, Boyfriend, Relative and Friend. Thank you for touching our lives.

To this I know your response would be “NO WORRIES”.

Sports related attire requested in honor of Dano.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, please make donations to Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

www.lustgartenfoundation.org. 100% of donations go to pancreatic cancer research.

Or: donations in Danny's name at any charity of your choice.

Please refer back to this site after August 12th for further details regarding Dano.