Daniel W. Johnson
Husband, father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, friend, horse-racing enthusiast, entrepreneur. Born Dec. 4, 1958, in Wallaceburg, Ont. Died Oct. 3 in Windsor, Ont., of bladder cancer, aged 51.
Dan Johnson, known as Little Danny, was raised on a family farm near Dresden, Ont. His blond wavy hair and blue eyes were perfect complements to his infectious smile that could brighten the darkest of days. He loved telling stories. His hallmark phrase, "Do you want to hear a good one?" was always followed by hilarious observations of life in a small town.
Dan was the oldest of four children of Cherie and Daniel Johnson Sr. The family contracting and underground cable business, JTO Trenching, provided a comfortable living for Dan and allowed him to pursue his passion - harness racing. After a long day's work, Dan would whirl through the house to change before flying out the door, racing program in hand, to watch one of his horses at a track in Ontario or Michigan. Dan bought and sold many racehorses, but a few of his favourite winners were Cheridan Star, Irish Cam and Burn Some Energy.
Dan was drawn to the outdoors and eagerly anticipated his annual ski trip with friends each spring. Over the years, their itinerary included heliskiing in the Canadian Rockies and embracing the moguls in Colorado. Dan would send his family into fits of laughter when recounting his adventures from travels to Hong Kong, Macau, Europe, Hawaii and the southern United States.
His bachelor days ended when he met the love of his life, Linda Cascadden, on a blind date in Essex, Ont., arranged by Linda's cousin. Dan and Linda married in 2003 and enjoyed family holidays in England and Spain as well as vacations to Mexico, Las Vegas and the Caribbean.
Dan became a second father to Linda's twin girls, Chelsea and Megan, who would often seek out his advice. They said Dan made their family truly feel like a family again. Rain, sleet, howling wind or blowing snow wouldn't keep him from shepherding the girls to high-school band practice, volunteering for school trips or being the chauffeur for a night out.
His compassion extended beyond his family. When a farmer's crop had to be harvested and sickness made it impossible, Dan would finish a long day's work, then hop on a tractor until the last rays of sun had set.
Dan's entrepreneurial spirit is evident in Dresden, where he was the leaseholder for the Tim Hortons coffee shop and an advocate for local owners and drivers of the Dresden Raceway. He became a member of the Dresden Agricultural Society and for the past five years lobbied to find a more efficient and profitable operating model for the racetrack.
Dan was diagnosed with bladder cancer in May and died just five months later. His family was shocked by the quick progression of the disease. He would want us to remember the laughter and love we've shared throughout the years. Keep smiling, Dan.
By Catherine Falzone, Dan's sister.