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Donald Clayton Danley, age 77, of Runnells passed away Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021. Visitation will be held Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Runnells Christian Church in Runnells. Masks will be required for the visitation. A graveside service will be held Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at Lowman Cemetery in Runnells. Memorials may be directed to the Runnells Christian Church Scholarship Fund or the Runnells Fire and Rescue Department. Condolences may be left at coburnfuneralhomes.com.
Don, son of Clayton “Dutch” and Hazel Danley was born Dec. 22, 1943, in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Des Moines Technical High School in 1962 and attended Grand View University and Des Moines Area Community College. A hardworking man, Don spent 33 years employed with Townsend Engineering where he was the resident expert on the design and construction of many machines that are used by companies around the world still today. He and his wife, Sharon, a retired school teacher, enjoyed traveling with the Townsend Group to places like Hawaii and the Bahamas, along with participating in the many activities offered to the families of Townsend employees over the years.
Don and Sharon were married for 57 years. He loved and adored his wife and together they made many memories. He made sure to teach both his son Mike and daughter Kristin as teens how to change their own oil, change a tire, mow the lawn in the “correct direction,” and how to ride horses of which the family owned at least half a dozen along with dogs, cats, and other critters on the family farm. He loved animals, especially the family dog Moose who was part wolf and part St. Bernard. He even performed CPR with a straw on his daughter’s hamster to try and save its life, just so he didn’t have to see her cry over losing a pet. He also could be quite a funny guy in his own way, firing up a chainsaw outside the family room window when a group of teenagers were inside the house watching the horror movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
He loved hunting and target shooting with his muzzleloaders and bows, and even made his own muzzleloaders along with custom crafted knives out of his deer antlers for his grandsons and friends. He was a 50-year member of the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association and the National Black Powder Association. He attended many buckskinner rendezvous and created his own buckskinning attire that he would wear to these events. He loved preserving the past and had a keen interest in his Native American heritage. He taught his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren how to shoot a bow, and taught his children how to throw Chinese stars, throw a tomahawk, shoot guns, and crack a bullwhip better than Indiana Jones.
Don was a masterful painter and an incredible artist, and his beautiful artwork hangs on the walls of his home still today. He also built his very own “monster truck” out of a stunning blue Ford F150 complete with a lift kit and oversized tires that was showcased on the cover of Four Wheeler Magazine. He loved going to the casino in his retirement, working in his yard, fixing anything mechanical, tooling around in his Bobcat skidloader, and driving his beloved truck. If anything was broken, the standard response was “call Grandpa Don.”
Don and Sharon attended hundreds of athletic and school events, watching their children and grandchildren participate in all of their sports, music concerts, dance recitals, musicals, and more. They drove grandkids to countless practices, spent all weekend at ball tournaments, and attended every single birthday party. They loved Grandparent’s Day at school and even attended this event as great-grandparents. He loved his family and would tell anyone who would listen everything that his grandchildren were doing in life. He was a fierce protector, passionate patriarch, and the most amazing man. Don also was a 57-year member of the Runnells Christian Church where he and Sharon were joined in holy matrimony.
Don is survived by his wife Sharon; son Mike (Debra) and daughter Kristin Danley-Greiner; grandchildren Morgan (TJ) Moen, Kaity (Ryder) Brown, McKaila Danley, Mikey Danley, Luke Greiner, Seth Greiner, Joel Greiner, and Chloe Greiner; great-grandchildren Remmi, Levi, and Leo Brown, and Hazel, Scarlett, and Vanna Moen; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Bob and Dorothy Cage, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was loved by many and will be missed by all.