Daniel Satonica

Daniel Satonica, 86, of Berrien Springs, lost his battle with cancer, Sunday, December 29, 2013 at Hanson Hospice Center in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 1:00 P.M. Saturday, January 4, at Chikaming Seventh-day Adventist Church, 13083 Red Arrow Hwy., Sawyer, Michigan, with Pastor Bill Dudgeon officiating. Burial will follow at Graceland Cemetery in Bridgman. Friends may visit with the family from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Friday at Heritage Chapel, 8747 US 31, Berrien Springs. Memorials may be made to Hanson Hospice Center or to the family for distribution to Dan’s other favorite charities. Those wishing to sign Dan’s Memory book online may do so at www.heritage-chapel.com. Dan was born May 14, 1927 in Isabella, Pennsylvania to Rudy & Anna (Kamfeljas) Satonica. He was employed at Andrews University as a welder in the Plant Service Department for 22 years. He welded together flag poles, fixtures and gates all through the campus. Following retirement from Andrews, Dan was employed for several years in maintanence at Russell’s Foreign Cars in Berrien Springs. He was very inventive and even built his own wood burning stove. He also built and welded a train for the Berrien Springs parade, and made the cannon in the parade safely go “BOOM”. He loved fishing with family friend David Wesolowski and enjoyed nature and watching eagles fly overhead while on the boat in Tomahawk, Wisconsin while visiting family. He often reminisced of fishing with all his brothers and the great times they had. His brothers, sisters and he all played musical instruments, and in 1982, he met the late Willi Wutzke who also played the accordion with his musical family while spreading the Gospel. Dan played his guitar and joined Willi and his family, and it was there he met Willi’s sister Selma. She became Dan’s wife on June 30, 1982. Dan served his country in the United States Army during World War II and was a member of the Berrien Spring American Legion Post # 85. When Dan found out he had cancer he immediately asked Pastor Bill from the Chikaming Seventh-day Adventist Church for an “Annointment Service”. When anointed the Pastor asked what his wishes were and he said “I just want to be with Jesus in his Kingdom.” Dan was active in his church and was known as the “Candy Man” because he would hand out a Werthers Candy with a handshake and say “This is the sweetest handshake you’ll ever get.” Dan leaves behind his beloved wife Selma; his sons-Daniel Robert (Carol) Satonica of Germantown, WI and Robin Dale Satonica of Cincinnati, OH; his step-children-Rosie Tanner of Berrien Springs and Adrian (Rita) Wutzke of Niles, MI; his sister Sara Fischer of Greenville, PA; his brother Sam (Ida) Satonica of Owen, WI; his sister-in-law Sophie (Willi) Wutzke; numerous nieces & nephews; and special family friends-Roger & Susie Hobson, Ray Miller, Tom Kubond & Pete Rago, Rosie’s fiancée David Wesolowski, Selma’s caregiver Dennelle Hunt, Dr. Troy Thompson and family whom Dan loved and became “Opa Dan” to the children, and a beloved little white dog named Tippy, who liked to fetch a toy hamburger which Dan threw to him in the parking lot of Nikki’s Café and Hopper’s Restaurant in Berrien Springs. He was preceded in death by his parents and by siblings-Christine “Kika” Strass, Michael “Mitch” Satonica, Johnny Satonica, Dorothy Millikin, Nick Satonica & Thomas Satonica.