Dan Blackwell, 72

Daniel "Dan" H. Blackwell, 72, died in Boise on Monday, January 12, 2004.

Graveside services were held Friday, Jan. 16, at Glenn Rest Cemetery in Glenns Ferry. Arrangements were under the direction of Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home.

Dan was born in Mountain Home, Idaho on Oct. 17, 1931. He was the second son born to Sam and Esther Blackwell. Dan was raised on the family ranch located on Cold Springs Creek in Elmore County and attended the Rye Grass one-room school in his early years. He graduated from Glenns Ferry High School. Dan was an accomplished athlete and excelled in football.

After graduation he attended Southern Idaho College of Education on a football scholarship. A year later he decided to serve his country and joined the armed services. Once again, he was reunited with the game he so enjoyed, playing football for the Army while stationed in Germany.

After his discharge, Dan attended Utah State University and graduated with a degree in engineering. In 1956, while attending Utah State, Dan married Jo Anne Coon of Glenns Ferry, who was also a student at Utah State. He was married to Jo Anne for 15 years and of that union, a son, Daniel, and a daughter, Julie, were born.

Dan was employed by Kaiser Engineers and worked on several construction projects around the country and around the world.

While in Denver, Dan met and married Sheila Young in 1974. They left almost immediately for a project he was to manage in Brazil, South America. Dan, Sheila and stepdaughter Angie traveled extensively throughout South America. He managed additional projects in Brazil and Peru.

Dan loved to travel and see the world. He eventually returned to the states and began his own construction company in Colorado Springs, Colo.

After a few years Kaiser Engineers lured him back to manage a project in Portugal. The urge to travel and the challenge of another daunting project was too much to resist. At the project's completion, Dan and Sheila returned to Colorado and semi-retirement. Real estate, camping, and fishing on his "piece of heaven" in the Rocky Mountains kept him content and busy.

Dan and Sheila's marriage ended after 28 years, and he returned to Idaho.

Dan was an exceptional engineer and widely respected throughout the construction industry, his family said, noting, "he was a positive influence on so many people and their lives. He will be missed and remembered."

Dan is survived by: his son and daughter-in-law, Daniel B. and Mary Jane Blackwell of Boise; daughter Julie Blackwell of Glenns Ferry, two granddaughters, three grandsons; and a brother, Samuel D. Blackwell of Glenns Ferry.

He was preceded in death by his father Samuel S. Blackwell, and mother Esther Daniel Blackwell.