Dan Harlan, 54, of Davidson, NC, passed away January 31, 2016. Dan was born December 22, 1961 in Moberly, Missouri to Marvin M. Harlan and the late Betty Lou Mea Harlan.
Dan grew up in Elmwood, IL. He enjoyed life and had many loving friends. In his earlier years, he was a track and cross country runner receiving many awards including a state championship in 1977 with Elmwood High School. Dan was an all around good athlete and especially enjoyed basketball and golf. He established himself early as a distinctive dresser and quickly assumed the name “Dapper”.
“Dapper” was a graduate of Augustana College in 1985. He ran cross country and track and was inducted into the Augustana Hall of Fame in 2013 with his track and field teammates. He made many of his closest, life-long friends while there.
Since 1988, Dan has shared his journey through life with his partner and best friend, Lorraine Gauthier. He signed all his many notes to her “LYLT” (Love You Long Time). Dan will always be remembered for his selfless loving nature, wit and charm. Dan never met a stranger and made a point to make life wonderful for the rest of us, especially Lorraine. He was an avid Harley Rider. He and Lorraine rode all over the country making friends everywhere who knew him as “Chewy”. He was a passionate Green Bay Packer fan and would often be seen wearing a Packer visor.
Along with his wife and father, Dan is survived by: sisters, Diana Hall and her husband Dave of Elmwood, IL; Dana Johnson and her husband Mark, of Minonk, IL; brother, Dave Harlan and his wife Kelly of Washington, IL; father and mother-in-law, Richard and Frances Gauthier; and many loving nieces and nephews (related and acquired).
Our celebration will be Friday, February 5, 2016 at Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home, 16901 Old Statesville Rd., Huntersville, NC. There will be a visitation beginning at 2:00pm followed by a Celebration of Dan’s life at 3:30pm.
The Centennial, in Mequon WI, was a favorite place of Dan and Lorraine’s. They were there often in their 25 years in WI. Lorraine will hold a memorial service in Wisconsin in the next few months.
Dan gave Lorraine flowers all of the time. Please honor our request, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (JDRF)
26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004
Online donation: https://www2.jdrf.org/site/Donation2?2374.donation=form1&df_id=2374&s_src=jdrf.org&s_subsrc=siteMenuLink
The site will ask you to enter Lorraine’s information:
Lorraine Gauthier, PO Box 1958, Davidson, NC 28036-1958
Friends may offer condolences to the family at www.raymerfh.com.
On behalf of Dan’s family and myself, I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for the stories, pictures and kinds words. Dan was my love, my partner, and best friend. He was my life. I don’t know how I am going to move forward without him. Hon, I will always love you. ~ L
LYLT
