Marilyn Hope Waide (Lake)

So sad to hear of Dan's death.I loved Dan as a friend from childhood on, though I hadn't been in contact for several years. I regret that. He teased me mercilessly growing up. He got into trouble all the time, in grade school, in jr. high, for throwing spitballs, disrupting class, etc.  Sometimes those spitballs were aimed at me. But I always knew he was my friend! Dan had a hidden talent. Whether or not he pursued it in adult life, I don't know. He drew marvelous caricatures. Funny, insightful caricatures. Although his obit says he was an atheist, I pray God has a home for him in heaven.  I'm glad I got to visit with him in 2010 at our 50th reunion. Goodbye and smooth sailing, Dan.

Judy Hershey (Melly)

Dear Classmates,

It is with a very heavy heart that I report to you that today Sunday Juy 5th I learned of Dan's passing June 14, 2020, peacefully at home.   I did not quite believe it.  He was living in Mt. Vernon, IL where he had returned from some 40 years in San Francisco that he loved.   He and I always had stayed in contact.   His mother and mine were neighbors and lifelong friends too.  That friendship caused Dan's parents to move to Richmond MO in their elder years since my parents had moved there also to be near me.   Dan lived there for a while too when his mother needed help.   Dan and I grew up across the street from each other from the age of 5.   Dan was a very bright and inquisitive person, a loyal and wonderful friend.  You might want to hug him one minute and thrash him the next!   But a loving fine man he was. He loved opera and classical music, was a computer whiz, and had so many abilities.   How I will miss our calls.   Rest in peace, dear friend!   Judy Hershey Melly

Perry Coons

Adrian White contacted me about Dan having passed, just after he learned of it from Judy Hershey Melly. It gave me pause to reflect on the reunion five years ago. At some point, my wife Louisa told me that she had met Dan MacDuff, and that he was looking for me, as she knew that I was looking for him.

We found each other and talked privately about a disagreement we had, via email messages, years before, one that had continued to bother each of us. It didn't take long to clear that up. He asked whether I might be attending the planning meetings for the next reunion. I expressed that I would not because I live 800 miles away. We hugged each other, wished each other well, pleased that we had talked, putting something behind us that should never have been an issue.

I've thought about that quite a lot this past week, about how good it felt to have had the opportunity to resolve our differences. My heart is heavy, knowing that Dan has passed, but somewhat lightened because we each had sought to clear up our differences and continue our friendship. My condolences to all of his other friends.

May Dan MacDuff rest in perfect peace.

R. Perry Coons

Roger Cooke

I'm going to walk about with a heavy heart today also, lightened only by the beautiful comments from Marilyn, Judy, and Perry.  There was never in my mind the slightest doubt that Dan was the brightest kid in our class at Horace Mann.  But he was a bit hyperactive, and some teachers just didn't seem to like him.  I still remember one teacher (whose name I will leave out) criticizing him severely because he was too fast a reader. And in that same teacher's class, Dan's mother walked in one day when we were all sitting there and asked the teacher, "Can you tell me how to make Dan take care of Dan?"     To do this in front of the whole class of Dan's friends now seems beyond cruel.  My son has always had a bit of Dan in him, but in a more enlightened era, his teachers handled him by putting his desk far enough away from the other students that he couldn't strike up conversations on impulse.  He's now 48 years old, a hard and creative worker, and he dearly loves his wife of 24 years and his 15-year-old daughter.   Well, I ramble.  Rest in peace, Dan.  You were one of the good parts of my childhood.

Jean Wilson (Alexander)

So sorry to hear of Dan's death.I have to tell a funny story about the day I met Dan. I don't remember if it was kindergarten or 1st Grade but Dan joined the class a few days after school started and the teacher introduced him.  That night I went home and told my Mom we got a new boy in our class and his name was Damnit Duck!  The next day she asked the teacher his name and she said Dan McDuff.  We all had a good laugh .   Rest in peace my friend.