Daniel Hamlin
September 08, 2009
Dan Hamlin, 58, died unexpectedly Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at Iowa Methodist Hospital. Dan was born on February 24, 1951 to James and Leota Hamlin in Des Moines.
Dan graduated from Bondurant-Farrar High School in 1969 and attended the University of Northern Iowa where he played football. He was a life-long Chicago Cubs and Bears fan along with the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was a marathon runner, a yachtsman, and an encyclopedia of sports knowledge and information.
Dan was known for his generosity. He sponsored a child through the Christian Children's Association and loved his God, his family, and his friends.
Dan is survived by his mother, Leota Hamlin of Bondurant; siblings, Sharilynne (Richard) Boettcher of Altoona, David (Edna) Hamlin of Ankeny, Dana (Tom) Grimes of Cumming, Nathan Duane (Sally) Hamlin of Colfax, and Jim (Judy) Hamlin of Irvine, CA; special friends Tom and Josie Moberg; and a host of other family and beloved friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, James Hamlin; and loving long term companion, Buckwheat, his dog.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 12, 2009, at Hamilton's Altoona Funeral Home, 105 4th Street SW, Altoona, with burial to follow at Altoona cemetery. A visitation with the family present will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday, September 11, 2009 at the funeral home.
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Kevin James Kratzer
09/12/2009
Dan Hamlin was my friend:
Dan liked da Bears
the Cubs
and Billy Martin too
Bush was bad
Packers were worse
Chargers were more than a little O.K.
The beach was great
mountains were fine
cold beer and German sausage were just about the best
#34 could only be Walter
#51 was Mr. Butkus
#1 was Mr. Dan Hamlin
I knew Dan Hamlin from the time that we worked at the same firm in Southern California. I found Dan to be funny, charming, enraging and engaging and just about the best guy around a cold beer at a Christmas party.
Dan loved the Fighting Irish and the Hawkeyes (just about anything from Iowa). He liked politics and sports, cold beer, good whiskey and vodka. Dan loved a good story and was quite good at telling one as well. Oh, almost forgot, Dan liked the ladies too.
When Dan found out I was a Yankees fan (and my two boys as well), he quickly told me a story about his meeting the late Billy Martin (former skipper of the Yankees). Dan found Billy Martin to be more than approachable, in fact, a really good guy. Dan in fact asked Martin to autograph a ball for him. Billy said no problem, would be happy to do it. Dan had that autographed Billy Martin ball for some 20 years. That is, until Dan found out my boys were ballplayers and Yankee fans. Dan gave us that ball for Christmas.
I told my boys about Dan Hamlin after he gave us the Martin ball. I told them he looked a lot like the actor Robbie Coltrane. I brought home a photo from one of our Christmas parties and my boys were really surprised by how much Valentin in the Bond films and the Golden Eye video game and Hagrid from the Harry Potter franchise looked just like Dan.
My boys weren't nearly as surprised, however, as a family was when they had a chance to get a Robbie Coltrane autograph at a restaurant in Northern California. Dan was having dinner with a friend when the waiter tapped Dan on the shoulder and asked him for the favor of his autograph and pointed to an excited family across the way. Dan's friend said, "what the hell, it'll make their day, go ahead and sign". Dan paused and considered what to do next. He then took a clean napkin and signed "Best Wishes, all the best, Robbie Coltrane". The family grinned and waved and practically levitated from the dining table as Dan signed for his alter ego Robbie Coltrane.
I was the first person to tell Dan Hamlin about coach George O'Leary being fired by the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Dan never let me forget about that. Every time a Nebraska Cornhusker player (GO BIG RED is my anthem, I was born in West Point, NE) stubbed his toe, I would get a phone call or an e-mail from Dan. Dont even get me started about Bill Callahan. Payback was indeed unmerciful when Dan Hamlin was involved.
My oldest son, Andrew, the recipient of the Billy Martin ball, just made the baseball team at Boston University this last Saturday. Dan told me lots about Boston before Andrew enrolled (the BEST NCAA hockey team in the country and the best Irish bars in the US of A as well). I was going to tell Dan this week about Andrew making that team. You know, I think Dan may already know.
"Is this heaven?"
"Its Iowa". "It's the place where dreams come true".
Dan Hamlins friends,
Kevin James Kratzer
Loretta Malaby
Herman Perea
Carlos Gomez
Daniel Garcia
Ted Ryback
Vito Vitale
Jeannie Moburg
09/12/2009
Dear Leota,
My deepest sympathy to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Jeannie Moburg
Eriebear
09/10/2009
I "only" knew Dan from years of "Talking" to him about Bears Football at CBFans.com. Dan was Bright,Witty, Insightfull, and "My Left Coast Friend". He always asked about my disabled son. HE WILL BE MISSED. He and I talked a lot about getting together sometime, I am very disapointed that it will never happen. "Dude" have one of your Martini's in Heaven and enjoy! (Dan's nickname was "Beardude")I am so sorry for your family's loss. Go to CBFans.com and see the love we had for him.
Doug Holland a.k.a. "Artbest"
09/10/2009
I never met Dan face to face. However, I've known Dan - a.k.a. "Beardude" for over a decade. He and I frequented - and sparred occassionally - on several Chicago Bears' message boards. He and I most recently were members of "cbfans."
Dan had a unique way of keeping his fellow Bear fans honest. When he sniffed b.s., he called you on it as only he could. However, when push came to shove, he was a standup guy who never took himself too seriously. His Bear, Cub and overall sports knowledge was limitless.
His loss is tremendous and he will be missed by MANY.
My deepest sympathies to his family. God bless Dan. Rest in Peace.
Sioux Chiodo-Newberg
09/10/2009
Dear Family, We are so sorry for your loss! You are in our prayers, everyone of you! With Love! Sioux-z and family
Kevin Maser
09/09/2009
It was with overwhelming sadness that I heard the news of Dans passing. I had worked with Dan over the last 15 years but it was on a more personal level that Dan and I became friends. Our shared Plains states roots, a love of baseball and football, shared political philosophies and just the simple pleasure of sharing a beer brought us together. On another level we shared a business, and I suppose, a life philosophy of the importance of integrity and loyalty. Dan exemplified both every time we met. It was Dan who shared, and helped me with my grief over my Fathers passing this last November. It was Dan who suggested we go to lunch to talk about the tumultuous events, both personal, and financial of this past year and in doing so I think we both put things in perspective. I know that, while he enjoyed his time here in San Diego County, he felt that it was the right time for him to be going home. I hope that all his family and friends will be comforted by the fact that he has truly gone home, and will always be remembered in my heart as a truly good man. May God bless and keep you all.