Family interment of cremains will be in the Indianola IOOF Cemetery.  Dan's family would like you to join them for a celebration of his life on Saturday, July 18, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Overton Funeral Home, Indianola, following CDC guidelines. Bring a chair, weather permitting, we will be outside.

Dan's family and friends have the deepest desire to honor the man we call son, brother, uncle, friend, husband and dad. Words are flowing as we gather to cherish the memories of our remarkable protector; writing them down, however, has been excruciating.

Dan never met a stranger and his gregarious nature led to new acquaintances which are treasured by his family. As most of you know, he grew up in Lacona, Iowa in an unpretentious, humble, loving family. His dad, Francis (Pops), passed away, but his mom, Barb (Spanky) still lives in Lacona surrounded by loving family and wonderful friends. I can only imagine how lively and gloriously chaotic it was to be the 3rd child of 5 kids in this home. He is loved by siblings, Madonna (Paul) Heller of Wisconsin; Mike (Lisa) Riebhoff of Melcher, Iowa; Monte (Kaylene) Riebhoff of Audubon, Iowa, and his half-sister Debbie Karns-Harker of Alaska. His nieces and nephews adored their uncle Danny and his big personality.

Dan worked hard all of his life with the attitude of reaping the joy of loved ones in his leisure time. He worked as a busboy at Latin King during his summers as a youth and he lived with his Uncle Richard (Willie) during those times. He really enjoyed his time at Sonny Weeks Garage in Milo as a mechanic. He attended Lincoln Technical Institute in Des Moines while working at a Standard Station. When I had the pleasure of meeting him at my cousin's wedding reception, he was working at Armstrong Tire Plant. After we met, he decided to enlist in the Airforce (I know what you're thinking - ha). He chose this path for a few reasons. His Dad and sister had served their country and he wanted to fulfill a dream, better his life with more education, and develop strong bonds. Dan and I knew this match, made possible by those that loved us, was going to be perfect and beautiful. Our Air Force life was an adventure that led us to a place everyone wants to be: the frozen tundra of Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was an adventure that created many more life long bonds, lots of life lessons, but most importantly, a bond that was cemented in the foundation of each other and God. We learned about each other's strengths and weaknesses and leaned on one another. We were definitely opposites when it came to socializing and trying new things ~ Dan truly gave me the "wind beneath my wings" and confidence to push through my limitations. He was fearless. By the time he was discharged from the military we had our first born and it was time to move home to our roots in Indianola to reconnect and forge new bonds. He returned to work at the tire plant and accepted a middle management position but he was not a fan of office work. When they downsized and released their middle management personnel, it truly was a blessing. He called a dear friend and was able to get on with Montgomery/Kone Elevator in their apprentice program. He studied hard to become a Journeyman and took on the "Dan the Elevator Man" title in no time. His last several years were spent working with Schindler Elevator and Local 33, where even more incredible life long bonds were made.

There was not a job that Dan couldn't tackle. He didn't fear failing. He was genuine ~ what you saw was what you got and it was robust, joyful and inclusive. He drew you in effortlessly with his goofy and timely one liners. He loved hunting, biking, working, helping others, and problem solving. He loved to sing in the shower and always came up with his own lyrics that made us all laugh.

We learned a lot from this man we call, son, brother, uncle, friend, "babe", dad/ pops. The biggest thing we learned this week is that life will never be the same without Dan. He was everyone's "go to" and "can do" guy. Dan was also loved by his kids Jon (Katy), Cody, Rachel and I along with my folks, Bob and Janella Guilford and brother-in-law Jon and his son Luke. We will forever have stories and countless "Dan-isms" to share as we will never forget our protector who is gone too soon.

To honor Dan, look for the positive, be kind to yourself and others, try new things, be inclusive, be present, be the reason someone gets up and moving every day, because "there ain't no hill for a climber".

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Trinity United Presbyterian Church or the Iowa Bicycle Coalition.

****A tribute from Cheri's nephew Luke Guilford

I would like to think that Dan's mind was like a giant panel of light switches all labeled something different, such as, "elevator Dan", "biking Dan", "goofy Dan", "loving Dan", "traveling Dan", "tech Dan", "fix-anything Dan", "chef Dan" and many more. This shows how diverse and unique Dan was as a person and all the life lessons he learned. Not only did he have a variety of these "switches", but he always had multiple switches turned on, it really was go mode 24/7 for him. If he wasn't fixing an elevator, he was riding bikes with his loved ones or smoking meat for his family and friends or goofing around with the latest tech gadget he got with someone. The recurring theme is that he was always helping, spending time with, or fixing something with his friends and family. Dan's world revolved around those he loved.

I'd like to share moments I experienced with Dan and his many "light switches". One of the latest memories was when he passed down his compound bow to me. He knew I was starting to get into hunting and he would rather have my passion for hunting grow then him take down a turkey or deer of his own with it. This gift meant a lot to me because it was a sport I always wanted to get into, and now with his help I had jumped right into it.

I have an immense love for traveling and exploring new cultures, and Dan shared that as well. I remember traveling through Montana and he was obsessed with everything huckleberry because it was unique to Montana, and it usually involved delicious food. He also wanted to do all the "mountain adventures" like white water rafting, hiking, staying in a cabin, and zip lining. When we were in Texas last summer it was all about seeing the Dallas Cowboys stadium and eating the biggest and best of Texas. When we took off for Lake of the Woods in Minnesota, he set us up with a charter fishing boat and rented a lake house. As I would say it, "he sent it", everything we did on these trips was to experience the unique culture of every place we traveled to.

One Christmas Cody gifted me a Deadpool onesie that had a very interesting zipper that I hadn't noticed until Dan pointed it out. It turned out there was an added zipper for using the bathroom easier and Dan was sure to make a joke about that. Another Christmas I had received a hunting vest, and without missing a beat thought it would be hilarious to put Gidget in the pocket where you put your ducks, pheasants, and etc. He had a sense of humor that you couldn't resist laughing to, he could always put a smile on your face.

At almost any family gathering Dan would make sure to cook up the best food. I remember the first time I had salmon and he smoked it to perfection, it would just melt in your mouth. From then, on I tried to see how the process went or help him with preparing ribs, wings, or bbq and he was always willing to help teach me the steps of smoking.

Biking with Dan was never short of exciting and fun. From taking trips to bars along the trails near Des Moines to riding my first day of RAGBRAI, Dan was a great riding partner and I enjoyed all of the trips. I remember one time when we all were leaving to ride to Banner and before we even got on the trail I blew a tire on the bike I was riding. Without getting frustrated or upset, he simply lent his bike to me and hoped on his recumbent. I didn't realize it at the time, but I guess it was a big deal for someone else to ride his primary bike, so it really went to show how much he cared about me being able to ride with the family. And on my first RAGBRAI ride, I remember Dan wanting to be a tour guide for me and show me where to get the different food or koozies. The excitement he had when on a bike was endless and it has inspired me to continue a passion in cycling.

Just recently my dad had an issue with his A/C in his car and Dan insisted on helping. Of course he had all the tools in the garage and was able to show us step by step how to fix the A/C in no time. Also recently he had to show me the coolest new tool he bought to help Cody make a beautiful table, and yes he did use his awesome elevator man perks to get a glass piece for the table. These "fix-it" stories are endless, but one time he had to measure something to do with the dinner table and instead of using measuring tape, he pulled out this fancy laser measuring tool that we had to play with on random things because it just was so much fun. I don't know that many people that can have so much fun measuring a dinner table. Dan made being a handy-man a skill I wanted to obtain and he did so much to help involve me in these "fix-it" moments.

These are just some of the "light switches" Dan had and the memories I experienced with him. I cherished the time we spent together and the lessons he taught me. Living life like "Dan The Man" is a beautiful and real way to live. I hope that I can continue the light he brought to the world and share it to others as well.