Patrick Franklin Dansby

January 25, 1941-June 25, 2024

Pat Dansby passed on June 25, 2024, in Santa Clarita, CA, at the age of 83 due to the ongoing impact of a stroke that he suffered in 2008. The only child of Frank and Florence Dansby, he lived his entire life in Southern California.

He attended Eliot Jr. High School and Muir High School in Altadena and was a graduate of UCLA.

Pat married his high school sweetheart, Karen Anderson, in July 1960.

Pat spent the entirety of his professional career in aerospace manufacturing, serving as President of Valley-Todeco in Sylmar, and Morton Manufacturing in Lancaster.

His real passion, though, emerged when he started coaching his boys in La Canada Junior Baseball. His teams were generally successful, and he won a few championships. But unlike so many, especially these days, he focused more on the experience his players had than he did on winning. He very much wanted each of his players to have a positive experience. While he was not into participation trophies, his signature was to create certificates for each of his players citing a positive contribution during the year, such as “best bunt” or “best clutch hit” or “best diving fly ball catch”. His players always left the end of year party with a smile.

He supported the boys’ Jr. All American football teams as their Athletic Director, taking care of the long list of administrative items that youth football requires. Notably, he took over the presidency of the La Canada organization, the Gladiators, in 1976 when it was in danger of failing financially. He persuaded a patron to make a substantial donation thereby propping up the organization and saving it for future generations of young footballers. For years thereafter, he announced the home football games on Saturdays in the fall, earning the moniker “Voice of the Gladiators”. He was known for his diligence in getting names right, and making sure that he called out as many names as possible.

It was always put the kids first, something today’s kid sport coaches could learn from.

Later, he was an indulgent grampa to four adoring grandchildren. Two highlights for him were taking both families on group vacations to Disneyworld and to the Greenhorn Guest Ranch. Greenhorn was notable in that he had taken his family there twice in the 70’s, making the return trip in 2006 quite nostalgic for everyone.

As the grandkids came, the grandparents established a second home in Lake Arrowhead. The house came with a boat and soon Pat was captain of the lake. He enjoyed taking people out on evening booze cruises and pointing out the various celebrity homes on the lake. He tirelessly threw footballs off the end of the dock to grandkids jumping off into the lake. He would rise early to take the kids out to ski and wakeboard before the water got too rough, followed by a visit to the local Mickey D’s for breakfast.

Pat eventually moved to Santa Clarita, getting him closer to work and nearby to his son’s family. He also got back into coaching, pairing up with his son Jim to coach little league baseball teams for several years. This was hugely meaningful to both he and Jim, cementing a lifetime friendship.

A self-taught golfer, at his best he was probably a 6-8 handicap. His sons were present for his only hole in one in Tucson in 2003.

His life changed drastically in December 2008 when Pat suffered a severe stroke. He was left without the use of his right arm and very limited mobility with his right leg. From then until his death, he required 24-hour care and was mostly confined to a wheelchair.

He tried to return to work at Morton Manufacturing after a year but after a few months of trying, all recognized that he was no longer able to perform the role. The team at Morton was gracious in letting him try. To their substantial credit, they supported him in his retirement with health care, and welcomed him whenever he came to visit.

During the last fifteen years of his life, we were absolutely blessed to have Alex Hill as his consistent caregiver throughout that period. Macario Lampa joined that team for the last ten years. Together, they doted on Pat, took him driving at his insistence (often for hours at a time), listened to his stories when he mustered the ability to talk, cared for all of his physical needs, and in the waning months nursed him through his path to his final resting place. They cannot be thanked enough.

He is predeceased by his parents, Frank and Florence Dansby, and by his wife, Karen Dansby. He is survived by his sons, Mike Dansby of Austin, TX, Jeff Dansby of Portland, OR and Jim Dansby of Port Hueneme, CA. Additionally, he is survived by his daughter-in-law Clarice Dansby of Austin, TX and grandchildren Kyle Dansby of San Diego, CA, Kurt Dansby of North Hollywood, CA, Zach Dansby of Houston, TX and Julia Dansby, also of Houston, TX.

A celebration of his life will be held at 1 pm August 2 at the Oaks Chapel of the Eternal Valley Mortuary in Santa Clarita, followed by a private burial.