Dan Helstrom

Born June 6, 1960 in Elgin to Robert and Betty Helstrom, passed away December 29, 2014 at his home in Woodstock.

Son, brother, uncle, husband, friend.

Often a big personality, the life of the party, loud and warm and funny. When he walked into a room, all eyes were on him and all faces were smiling. Disarming, generous and engaging—inside of ten minutes he was the guy you'd known all your life. Quick witted and prone to laughter, his face always seemed flushed with joy. He lived life on his terms. He loved nature and made his home out in the woods, disdaining email and social media, even unreachable by phone much of the time. Family and friends. Those were Dan's priorities. He loved his mom and dad, his brothers, his nieces and nephew, his wife, his multitude of friends—and his pets. Some might even call Sandy and Maddie, his two companion pups over many years, the loves of his life.

Ask anyone who was close to Dan and they'll tell you what a big softie he was—loyal (maybe a little too much when it came to the Cubs and Bears), loving and thoughtful. His huge, generous, caring heart touched the many of us who miss him dearly already.

Dan is survived by his mother Betty Helstrom, siblings; Robert (Roxane), Michael (Dan Marsh), Peter (Laura), and Andrew (Belen), nieces; Abigail and Zoe, and nephew Jack. He was preceded in death by his father Robert (2005).

Memorial visitation will be held from 3pm until the time of the memorial service at 7pm, Friday, January 2 at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave (Route 176), Crystal Lake.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations in Dan’s name may be made to: Helping Paws, www.helpingpaws.net, or Toys for Tots

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