Dan Eric Stymiest—long-winded storyteller, world’s best jambalaya maker, devoted dad-joke teller, cagey card player, poet in disguise, and a man who never met a stranger— peacefully left this Earth on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

Dan, the baby boy of seven siblings, was born on December 7, 1970, to his beautiful mother, Nancy Jean Baird, on Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. His childhood home sat on acres of woods, which he happily claimed as his playground. Growing up with simple means, he mastered the art of making something from very little— a skill he would carry with him for life.

Dan was a lover of dogs and proudly claimed it as his life’s goal to pet them all. He excelled at leaving karaoke bars roaring with a charismatic Frank Sinatra performance, believing he could build just about anything he saw, and getting lost in his Muttley laugh with his wife on the couch. He did not excel at grilling steaks just right when a neighbor stopped by to say hello, hiding when he was lost in thought, or keeping his big heart to himself.

A forever student of life, a deep thinker, and a lover of music and the arts, Dan carried a depth of lived experience and wisdom that allowed him to offer something truly profound to those he loved.

In his early working years, Dan lived a thousand lives, always willing to reinvent himself and try something new. For the last twenty years, he built a business creating beautiful decks and fences— showing up in all weather and through health challenges that would have stopped most.

Overambitious in the best way, Dan worked hard but lived slowly, always making sure to show up for his wife (Annie), his son (Collin), and his daughter (Ashley).

His lifelong hobbies included hunting, writing, cooking, building, and collecting stories. He held a deep love for his country and the values it stood for. Dan was particular about how things were sliced, diced, cooked, built, and painted— never from judgment, but from a desire to co-create thoughtfully with the world around him.

Dan was a man who ferociously loved his family, forever devoted to providing for and protecting them. He was a son, a brother, a nephew, an uncle, a cousin, a friend, a mentor, a dad, and a husband— and he brought his whole heart to every role he held. We are all better people because of him.

At his core, Dan was a humble man who quietly practiced kindness. He was known for small, spontaneous acts of generosity towards strangers, sometimes shared weeks or months later— and sometimes never at all. In his honor, we invite you to do the same whenever the moment finds you. All the love in my heart to you Dad. Da moon, for always.

Dan is survived by his beloved wife, Annie; his children, Collin and Ashley; his mother, Nancy Jean Baird; and his siblings, Mike (Kathy) Baird, Kathy (Steve) Ostby, Scott (Tina) Baird, John (Claudia) Stymiest, and Kaulana (Jim) Tyson, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Sandra Edington and Barbara Stymiest, and his uncle, Bob Diller.

A memorial service honoring Dan will be held on Saturday, February 14, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., with a more formal service beginning at 2:30 p.m. Services will be held at Walter Funeral Home, 4653 Glendale Avenue, Toledo, Ohio 43614.