Daniel Christy Candelaria

Let me start by saying that Dan loved to talk with everyone and wrote all of the information on this eulogy. He also prepared his own obituary card. He loved music ALOT and wanted his favorite songs played during his funeral so you wouldn’t fall asleep hearing about his life…. You’ll also hear songs where he is singing or that he wrote. Well, here goes…………

Dan was the youngest child of 6 children born to Arsenio and Rufinita Candelaria on June 1st, 1951 at Mercy Hospital in Denver, CO. He was the only child born in the hospital. All the rest of his brothers and sisters were born at home. He had 3 brothers, all deceased, Joe (who died in 2010), John (who died in 2015), and Vic (who died in 1993), 1 sister, Pauline (who passed away in January 2020) and Marie (who passed away in May 2022). He was really close to his sister Marie all his life, kept in close contact and both sang together. He loved his older sister Pauline, especially when she called him ‘GooGoo’. He leaves behind his wife, Marlene, married 38 years and a stepdaughter, Melissa who he worked hard at raising her since she was 2 years old and in later years he adopted her as his daughter.

Dan attended Fairview and Elmwood Elementary Schools, Baker Junior

High School, and graduated from West High School in June 1969 with a diploma and

as a Captain in the ROTC (the Army Reserve Training Corp).

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Metro State College in 1974, majored

in Elementary Music Education with a minor in Spanish. He loved that he was

bilingual. He perfected his Spanish language when he spent several months in Tampico, Mexico with a group of 20 students, called the Colorado Inter-American Student Project. While in Mexico, he taught and played music, basic reading and writing skills to the Mexican children and adults. He really enjoyed this experience since he had a chance to live without electricity and learning about the Mexican people who were poor. Dan had a great time playing music with them.

As mentioned earlier Dan LOVED MUSIC!! – He learned the guitar from his brother Vic at the age of 8 years old. Dan and Vic played and sang together and Dan really missed Vic after he passed away. He also learned to play the piano and several other instruments. At the same time, Dan sang in the Boys Club Choir, in many other school choirs and at many churches. He also provided guitar and piano lessons. Most important to him, though, was his variety band, “El Nuevo Sonido de Colorado”

also known as the “The New Sound”, where he enjoyed performing throughout Colorado for over 30 years with his best friend, Ed Villareal.

One of his greatest times with his band was performing on TV and

recording a CD for the ‘Canciones del Pasado’ KUVO radio program.

Dan was quite a character and a joker which made Marlene mad at times.

Several years ago, in 2006, after not playing with his own band, Dan was listening to a polka band, the famous Herman Dinges Polka Variety Band outside of Albertson’s. While Marlene was shopping, she heard Dan singing with the band. Herman immediately asked him to join the band. He loved to sing! Until 2020, he played the piano and sang with Herman all over Colorado, in Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas to perform. He even performed on the popular Molly B Polka show on TV and sang on several CDs. Dan would always play for birthdays singing ‘Las Mananitas’, singing the ‘Entrega’- the blessing of the Bride and Groom for weddings, and for many other events, including funerals. Everyone loved his singing. His favorite entertainers and singers were: Little Joe y La Familia, Al Hurricane, Elvis, George Strait, Dean Martin and Marie Osmond. DAN DEFINITELY LOVED ALL MUSIC! Spanish, Mexican, Mariachi, Oldies, Classic Country, Gospel, and Jazz.

Back to his early years, Dan was a Boy Scout and his dad would take the scouts to Chief Hosa for outings. When he was 14 years old, Dan worked as a paperboy, riding his bike, plus, his dad would take him every Sunday to deliver the paper. It’s funny that one time he went home and told his dad he had ran over an old man with his bike and he thought he was dead. Come to find out, the old man was drunk and never knew Dan ran over him. Dan also worked as a custodian at KTLN radio after school and worked during college to help pay his school expenses.

In 1974, he became an Elementary Music teacher at Alsup Elementary in

Commerce City, Colorado. In 1976, he earned first place in the Bi-Centennial music program for the entire Adams County District #14. He had a guitar class with over 20 students. They loved Mr. C. but the district closed up the Arts class in 1976 and Dan had to find another job. He married Waydean Maize in 1974 and they divorced in 1976. During this time, they became involved in a drug scam with a Self-Realization church, lost alot of money and separated from their families. Dan ended up moving and living in Long Beach, California with his Uncle Amady. In 1977, Dan moved back to Colorado with his parents.

While in Long Beach, California, Dan became a Bank Teller in 1976. When

he came back to Denver he was promoted to Senior Teller at United Bank until 1979. He loved working at the bank, being bi-lingual, and helping customers.

In 1979, he joined the Colorado Air National Guard. He hated his brother, John, for recruiting him into the military especially during the Basic Training at San Antonio, Texas. He really didn’t hate his brother. All of our family loved each other. The military was tough but he graduated as an Honor Graduate student and then 2 years later became an officer as a 2nd Lieutenant.

In the military, Dan served for five 1- and 2-Star General officers as the

State Personnel and Equal Opportunity Officer until he retired at the rank of

Major in 2001. One of his big disappointments was his dad and mom not being alive to see him retire. His wife and daughter were there. On a sad note, during

an Equal Opportunity mediation, Dan attempted to save the life of his co-worker and best friend, Marv Ross while giving him CPR. His friend died later that day.

After retiring from the military, Dan got a job as Assistant Principal at

Valdez Elementary School for 1 year and excelled at doing his job but wanted

to work for the State of Colorado. He also worked several other temp jobs until 2006.

With God’s help, in 2006, Dan got a call from Aleta Thomas at the Colorado Department of Labor to work temporarily as an Admin Assistant. A year later, Bob Atencio selected him to become a full-time Collections Representative with the Department of Labor. After 10 years, Dan completed his 3rd retirement in

July 2017. His bilingual skills also helped him a lot in this job. He was so proud when he collected a single $15,000 overpayment from a customer. Again, he loved being bi-lingual and helping Spanish customers. His supervisor, Sandra Johnson, really appreciated it.

On a short note, in November 2021, Dan had to have his upper left lung removed. He had a little cancer. It was a tough major surgery and Dan struggled with the recovery. He only had to have 4 sessions of chemo and 5 radiation sessions but recuperated and became cancer free. It was a really tough blow on Dan but the good thing was that Dan went non-smoking for over 1 year and was in remission. He was on oxygen which he hated!!

Lastly, Dan sends his sincere thanks and love to his wife Marlene of many years, for all of her patience and, his daughter Melissa for her understanding. He’ll always remember his best friend Ed Villareal for all the years they were together running the band and their friendship, and his sisters, brothers and brother-in-law Roberto who passed away in 2019. Roberto and Dan would watch western shows all day. Dan will never forget his past supervisors, Major General France (who died in 2017), Principal Tom Archuleta for believing in him and hiring him at Valdez Elementary, all of his closest and dearest friends, his son (out-of-wedlock) Danny Martinez, and most of all his last supervisor, Sandra Johnson, for her guidance and support.

Dan will always be remembered as a great husband for Marlene; a super musician who also loved to sing and dance. Dan and Marlene won many polka contests. Dan was an unbelievable father for Melissa and most of all, a religious person who believed and trusted in the Lord. He served as an Altar Boy at the age of 10 at St Joseph’s Church. He attended church every week. Every day you would see Dan on his computer checking and balancing his bank accounts. He always balanced his accounts to the penny. He completed an extensive Candelaria Family Tree which took about 4 years. In addition to watching western shows, Dan spent a lot of time working on his music.

He was a strong believer in God and although, in his last days he dealt with a lot of sicknesses, every day Dan thanked him for giving him his musical talent, patience, and hard work. Dan will be greatly missed.