Daniel Henry Magdziasz

LACONIA — Daniel Henry Magdziasz of Laconia, son of Henry and Genevieve Magdziasz, passed away peacefully on the morning of Aug. 21, 2019, after long periods of illness.

Dan was proud to be a native of New Hampshire; he was raised in Manchester and enjoyed summers at the family lake house on Paugus Bay.

Dan served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1971 and was assigned to the ASA, the precursor of the NSA. When he returned home, he worked for the Manchester Post Office, the Manchester Transit Authority as a driver’s education instructor, and later retired from the N.H. Department of Transportation, Meredith shed.

He had an eclectic knowledge of all things New Hampshire and nature. He trained the backyard chipmunk to get into his hand while sitting in his dining room chair; Dan then raised him to eye level and gave him his reward. When he drove the bus in Manchester, he would give the history of places they passed. He loved to talk to people and share his dry wit. He greatly revered his Polish culture and times long gone by on the farm. Stories he told of his younger days at his paternal grandfather’s farm in Auburn were frequent and funnier each time. As a young boy, he was scared to death when he got trapped in the barn rafters with all the pigs squealing below him; his grandfather used the shotgun to kill a bat and nearly killed his own wife in the kitchen — she retaliated with the cast iron frying pan, causing a huge lump on his head; and the revenuers came for grandfather’s moonshine “jug” that was hidden deep in the manure pile, ready for a stolen afternoon swig.

Dan loved yard sales. He collected robots — vintage and current —, toy planes and cars, and any vintage item that interested his curious mind — for example, a World War II listening device from a Navy ship. He collected and played flutes, from recorders to Native American carved instruments to Ocarinas.

His family and grandchildren were the highlight of Dan’s retirement years, as well as memorable trips to New Mexico, Washington, and Alaska. His kind and caring smile will be missed by his family and friends and all those yard-salers he chatted with!

He leaves behind his wife, Betty "Elizabeth" Clark (Cameron); his first wife, Beverly Tuller; his two daughters, Melissa Madgziasz, her husband, Tom Horner, and their two sons, ages 4 and 4 months, of Eliot, Maine, and Jenna Magdziasz, also of Maine; and Betty’s son, William, of Alaska. Dan also leaves a sister, Sonia, of Florida, and brother Steve of New Hampshire.

Our sincere appreciation goes to all the wonderfully kind and talented caregivers at LRGH.

Per Dan’s request, there will be no services.

The family will gather at a later date in his honor.

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.