Danny Lommel

Danny Darwin Lommel, born April 1, 1938, in Calistoga, California left this world peacefully on July 30, 2024, in Alpine, Utah at the age of 86 after a brief illness and many years of living with Parkinson's Disease.

As befitting an April's Fool's baby, Danny led a full life that included contraband Dr. Pepper, a few too many bowls of rocky road ice cream, a sarcastic wit, and a lifelong inability to pronounce 'pollo fundido' (a favored Mexican dish). He had an ability to fully love those around him and be loved by them in equal measure.

Danny spent his early years in Calistoga and Walnut Creek, California before enlisting in the Air Force in 1956 and serving in Arizona and Samsun, Turkey, a place that he loved and photographed extensively. He then moved to Alaska, where his grandmother had been a washerwoman in the 1880s, and where he lived for over 50 years. There, while working as a telecommunications specialist at the Alaska Railroad, he managed to convince Diane Winters (after breaking her work phone many times just so he could repair it) that he was worth going on a date with. Despite her best efforts to the contrary, she could not deny his wit and charm, and they were married in 1973 and remained together until her death in 2017. They raised five children and had 16 grandchildren. At the age of 80, Danny remarried to his loving wife, Bonnie, a beautiful redhead, whom he had known as a high school student and with whom he had gone on his very first date. They moved to Alpine, Utah. She further blessed his life with the ability to expand his family to include her 11 children and their spouses, 47 grandchildren, and 44 great-grandchildren.

Danny led a life of faith, serving in many callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including in leadership in the Bush District, which allowed him to travel all over the state of Alaska. He also served as a bishop for over five years, and, most meaningfully to him, as a Scoutmaster for too many years to count, during which he built up Troop 187 to the largest troop in the Western Alaska Council. His lifelong passion was for photography, but over the years he sold his equipment to support his ever-greater love for his family. He enjoyed tinkering with electronics and computers, cooking, hiding in the garage to the sounds of B.B. King for some peace and quiet, and spending time with his loved ones. He dreamed of one day traveling to Patagonia and was very much looking forward to his great-granddaughter's arrival in September.

Danny was predeceased by his father, Arle D. Lommel, mother, Juanita Gish, sister, Juanita Vincent, brother, Darl Lommel, and his wife, Diane Winters Lommel. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Taylor Lommel, his sister Arlene Stark Neilson, and his children: Arle (Brenda) Lommel, Anna (Steven) Armendariz, Alexander (Bonnie) Lommel, David (Jessie) Lommel, and Bronwyn (Joshua) Mendelsohn, and 10 step-children he embraced with as much love as he had for his children with Diane: Brad (Kayleen) Taylor, Claudia (Ron) Shaffer, Colleen (Johnny) Marlow, Roseanne (Tom) Roberts, Kathleen (Phil) Schlesinger, Jay (Celest) Taylor, Charline (Aaron) Grigg, Susan (Rob) Mathieson, Janis (Justin) Aden, and Michael (Jenny) Taylor. He was not able to meet Bonnie's daughter, Nancy, in this lifetime, but we are sure they had a sweet introduction in Heaven upon his arrival.

Services will be held at 11:00 (viewing) and 12:00 (funeral) on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Alpine, Utah, located at 285 North Matterhorn Drive, and may be viewed by Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/98732655867

A special thank you to River Meadows Senior Living and Utah Home Health & Hospice for the wonderful care they provided for Danny in his final days.