In Memory of Daniel “Dan” Lissy

Daniel “Dan” Richard Lissy, age 73, of Stanchfield died February 8, 2021 at St. Cloud Hospital.  A memorial service will be held at 3:00 P.M. Saturday, FEBRUARY 20th at Strike Life Tributes in CAMBRIDGE.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.  In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to The Snake River Valley Conservation Club or Braham Sportsman’s Club.  The service will be livestreamed and a link to watch the service will be posted here closer to service day.

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Daniel “Dan” Richard Lissy, age 73, of Stanchfield died February 8, 2021 at St. Cloud Hospital due to Respiratory Failure and Congestive Heart Failure. He knew he was ready and went peacefully with his wife and daughter by his side, his sense of humor shining through until the very end.

Dan was born August 10, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois to Raymond and Marie (Meister) Lissy. He was an identical twin to his brother, Richard Daniel. He graduated from McHenry High School in 1965 and completed his journeyman’s certificate as a tool and die machinist after graduation. On June 28, 1969 Dan was married to Laurie Johnson and they made their first home in Wauconda, Illinois. Dan and Laurie moved many times throughout their marriage and in 1990 they moved to their current home in Stanchfield.

He was drafted into the US Army in 1970. Due to his knee, he was medically discharged and unable to fulfill the orders he had received, which were to report to the White House to serve as a Presidential body guard to Richard Nixon. When he tried to reach the staff sergeant at the White House to inform them, they were unavailable, so they patched him directly through to President Nixon, whom he had a telephone conversation with for over an hour, a story he loved to share.

Dan worked as tool and die maker for his entire career. He loved to design and build things with his hands, a gift and love he shared with his children. In their younger years, he and Laurie enjoyed horseback riding, training horses with his in-laws, and bowling together. He was an avid outdoorsman his entire life. He loved to hunt, shoot trap, and especially enjoyed bass fishing, hitting the water before sunrise. Dan was a Gun Safety Instructor for over 40 years, as well as a Snowmobile Safety Instructor for over 15 years. He was an active member of the Snake River Conservation Club and the Braham Sportsman’s Club for many years.

Many knew him as “a very jolly old fellow” who absolutely loved to spread Christmas cheer, with the beard and belly to support this love. He had enough red shirts to wear one the entire month of December, which almost always had a pocket full of candy canes to share. He cherished the memories he made with friends, family, and those who became like family because he was part of their Christmas celebrations for so many years. He was deeply saddened when his health declined over the last few years of his life, making him unable to continue to share this joy.

Dan had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to tell jokes, stories of past adventures and experiences. His family joked he had mastered the dramatic pause, and if you had listened to his many stories, you knew the pause well. In his final hours he commented that he may be losing his breath, but he wasn’t losing his sense of humor.

Dan will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Laurie; son, Raymond Lissy; daughter, Mary (Tim) Jensen; two grandchildren, William and Jillian Lissy; sisters-in-law and brothers-in law, Carole Lissy, Steve Johnson (Deryn LaVall), David (Judy) Johnson, and Peter (Mechille) Johnson; his Aunt Lucille Danielson; and by many other relatives and friends.