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Daniel “Danny” Charles Passafume was born January 12, 1942, in Holy Family Hospital to Angelo and Josephine Passafume of La Porte, Indiana. Seven months later, he was baptized at St. Joseph Church in La Porte by Father August Van Rie, and exactly five years to the day of his birth, on January 12, 1947, he received a baby sister.
As a child, Danny enjoyed swimming, watching cartoons, playing baseball in Warsaw Field, and keeping his little sister away from his toy trains. As a teen, he enjoyed playing basketball, singing in choir, and participating in a few practical jokes with his older brother, Michael, at Central Junior High School. He also enjoyed playing football at La Porte High School and spending some summers with his Uncle Frank, Aunt Thelma and cousins Billy and Mary Passafume in Spring Valley, Illinois.
As a young adult, Daniel enjoyed swimming, horseback riding and golfing with his father, Angelo. He was a gym teacher at St. Joseph School, a lifeguard at Deluxe Swim Club and a coach for the three-parish Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) all-girls baseball team. He and Jim Sweeney, who wound up serving as best man at his and Claire’s wedding, chaperoned their sisters, Sally and Dee, and family friend, Pat Fagan, at the CYO national convention in New York City, New York.
On October 1, 1966, Danny married his beloved Claire in St. Peter Catholic Church. They would spend the next 53 years together working and living in Florida, Michigan and Indiana, traveling throughout North America in their trusty travel trailer, and even cruising to the Caribbean on their 25th wedding anniversary.
As an adult, Danny liked collecting model trains; baking; cooking and eating frog legs; listening to music; playing board games; meeting new people; traveling with his wife, Claire; spending time with friends, family, and the many fur babies they cared for along the way, like Fifi and Mandi; watching cartoons, Christmas movies, home improvement shows, Olympic sports and Notre Dame football; and beating his sister every year at their annual birthday contest. You could hear the smile on Danny’s face as he greeted his sister at 12:01 a.m. every January 12 with, “Happy Birthday to me.”
Danny was a loving and playful son, brother, nephew, husband, uncle, and friend. He loved life and wanted the best for everyone he met. Unfortunately, Danny lost his Claire on November 26, 2019, and joined her shortly thereafter on June 30, 2021.
Danny is survived by his sister, Sally Passafume (Peting) of La Porte; five nieces, Daniella Nicol Peting of Chicago, Gabriella Lucianna Dobinson of Kenosha, Wis., Alliegra Christiana Hand and Raphaella Francesca De La Fuente, both of La Porte, and Kellie Brown of Orange City, Fla.; four great-nephews, Walter Gerald Dobinson IV of Kenosha, Francesco Luis De La Fuente and David Jonah Hand, both of La Porte, and Brandon Brown of Orlando, Fla.; one great-niece, Samantha Passafume of Detroit, Mich.; and two nephews, Tony Passafume of La Porte and Michael Passafume, Jr., of Franklin, N.C.
Danny is preceded in death by his wife, Claire (Cannon) of Elkhart, Ind.; his brother, Michael Passafume of Orlando, Fla., and his parents, Angelo and Josephine (Trojanowski) Passafume of La Porte.
Before Claire passed, Danny and Claire made plans to travel the U.S. in their recreational vehicle. Since they enjoyed traveling and spending time in KOA campgrounds, they’d like to be remembered with donations to KOA Care Camps.
A funeral Mass will be held in their honor Saturday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church, La Porte, followed by an inurnment at Pine Lake Cemetery, La Porte. Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte, is handling services.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to KOA Care Camps at https://koa.com/community-camping-programs/care-camps/donations/.
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