On June, 10, 2022, Daniel L. Balkenbush, 79, US Navy Veteran, passed away at a local hospital from complications from a fall. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dolly Marks Balkenbush (2012).

Danny was born on Dec 13, 1942, in Denver, CO, son of Col. Norbert Balkenbush and Margaret Kirby. Growing up, Danny lived with his grandmother Kirby, and spent a good deal of time with his father’s parents, Louis and Elizabeth P. Balkenbush, and his aunt, Becky Balkenbush, all of whom predeceased him.

After parochial elementary school, he attended Central High School in Denver. Despite being recruited to play football in the Big 8 conference, he elected to join the Navy. He became a radar operator on the Early Warning system which flew over the Barrier Line to cover radar gaps between Greenland and Iceland. After his Navy service, he worked as a US government contractor in radar communication and telemetry.

Danny moved to Wash DC in 1968, where he met his future wife, Wash DC native, Dolly, at a dance. She had studied accounting, and encouraged him to do so. He graduated with a BS from Univ of Maryland in Accounting and Finance in 1975. He then joined the US Secret Service as an Accountant, retiring in 1991 as Accounting Officer in the Financial Management Division. He moved to the US State Department and served in a financial oversight capacity until his retirement.

He is survived by his sister, Marcy Nelson, and brothers Jerry Balkenbush, and David Balkenbush; their spouses; six nephews and nieces; and ten great nieces and nephews.

The Balkenbush family has a long history of service to the country, including ten (three female and seven male) US Army, Navy, and Air Force veterans, including one on active duty in the Air Force, and one currently serving in the Navy Reserves.

Danny wrote the following message to his friends and family: “Life’s journey is but a moment in time filled with experiences, routine and extraordinary. It is what we make of those experiences that forms the perceptions of who and what we become. Never perfect, and forever a challenge, each of us will travel the distance, learning and growing as we progress. My journey was not unique and my experiences far from profound, but the lessons learned and friendships formed were truly heartwarming and worthwhile. I thank all I have known and wish each of you happiness and joy throughout your future travels. I leave this world knowing that I experienced the love of my life and the smiles of my family and friends. I would not have asked for more.”