Daniel Warren Dubansky

Daniel Warren Dubansky, the greatest human we knew, died on July 2, 2022 at home, with his family by his side. He will be incredibly missed by so many. Dan lived a wild life, full of gratitude, love, compassion, adventure and humor. Anyone who knows Dan knows he lived his life on the edge - where the magic happens. He always rode it til the wheels fell off, never gave up and left this world a better place. His friends and family will always recall his drive to go all out, at every turn along his path.

From a very young age, he was an entrepreneur who started and ran several successful businesses in Maryland and Virginia, always in partnership with his wife, Deane. “Take Your Kid to Work Day” could begin or end at a honky-tonk or on an aircraft carrier. Many sought and received life and business advice from Dan. Dan was a mensch and a man of mitzvot. He was always there to lend a hand to a friend or a stranger, spreading acts of kindness, such as mentoring young children or literally giving a man the shoes off his feet.

Favorite quotes by the remarkable Dan Dubansky learned (repeatedly) by his family include:

It’s not the problem, but how you react to it; Accept and adapt; It’s all Good; Think good and it will be good; Buy low, sell high; Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves. He taught his kids and grandkids to answer the questions of how many fish were caught and what kinds with, “Too many to count! A wide variety!” And a favorite that was more of a life motto: Sometimes you have to break a few rules to have a good time…just don’t get caught. That last one made for an interesting and incredibly fun time for his business associates and childhood for his kids and their friends, cousins and neighbors.

Dan had a passion for music, the outdoors, fishing, boating, biking, good food, storytelling, traveling, Judaism, helping others and fart machine toys. Through these passions, he met many of his closest friends and he connected deeply with his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. His attraction to wild adventures, family and fun made every visit, trip, outing - whether big or small - into an “experience” not easily forgotten. We built tree forts, go-cart tracks, and skateboard ramps, found the cut throughs, borrowed stuff and snuck into all the right places with Dan leading the way – as if every score was a life lesson. Through these experiences, Dan’s family and friends’ lives were enriched by his incredible charisma, resilience and love of life. When you ride your bike, go fishing, hear a B-Side Rolling Stones song, experience a moment of extreme gratitude, almost get caught, ace your test and when you teach a kid to “pull your finger,” think of Dan and smile.

Dan’s strongest love was saved for his family. During his final months of life, Dan frequently said and texted, I feel your love. The foundation of Dan’s legacy of love was set as a child, when he met Deane and their love began to burn – joining them into one soul. Their bond was truly incredible and unrivaled in strength. They celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary on June 30, 2022. Dan was never shy about showing his love for Deane, writing her love notes and poems expressing his love for her constantly, in acts big and small. His love and pride for his entire family was deep, as well, and he considered his family his greatest success.

Dan’s dedication to the latest technology has left a gift of a literal lifetime of love and memories for his family - not just in their hearts, but on video (starting when he and Deane were in college). These 55+ years of videos were created, edited and shared with love and pride and have been and will continue to be watched over and over by family and friends, always producing smiles. Especially during these last few months, we loved watching Dan’s videos with him. His laughter and joy as we watched together will remain with us forever.

Dan was preceded in death by his Father Leon, his mother Toby and his brother Ronald Dubansky and a long list of very close family. Dan is survived by Deane, his children Candice Braun (Ben), Ben Dubansky (Brooke); his grandchildren Jack Braun, Annie Braun, Mateo Braun, Bennett Dubansky and Brendan Dubansky; his niece Rachael Wallace (Chuck) and their children Alex and Erin Wallace; his nephew Max Dubansky and niece Laura Dubansky; his sister Mindy Dubansky, sister-in-law Merle DiVita (Patrick) and his brother-in-law Glen Rokoff (Norma).

Donations in Dan’s honor may be made to one of the following organizations near and dear to his heart: The Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS www.massgeneral.org/neurology/als/support or 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114.