Daniel “Dan” Joseph Young

May 16, 1994 – March 18, 2022

In Loving Memory of Daniel Joseph Young

We are heartbroken to share the unimaginable loss of Daniel Joseph Young, Dan to everyone who knew him. He was a kind and generous soul, taken far too young; a wonderful, beloved son, and an amazingly fun-spirited brother.

Dan was born in Elk Point, Alberta to Diane and Wendell Young on May 16th, 1994, a birthday he shares with his dad.  He passed peacefully in the Foothills Medical Center in Calgary with his family by his side on Friday, March 18th, 2022, at age 27. He is survived by his mom and dad, his brother Aaron, sisters Julie and Alison, nephews Gabriel, Sam, Elijah and Jamie, his nieces, Abby, Hope, and Caitlin, and by his grandparents Allen and Delphine Young and Cecile Kotowich.  He is also survived by the numerous animals on the farm that he shared a love for, especially his comfort cats, Buddy, and Freya, his faithful dog Lexi, and by the chickens and turkeys which Dan spared by granting them diplomatic immunity. Dan was predeceased by his maternal grandpa, Walter Kotowich.

Dan enjoyed nothing more than having an adventure, whether that be traveling the world, cutting down trees in his backyard or jumping out of an airplane to the horror and pride of his watching family. As a child, Dan was either currently in mischief or actively plotting it.  A lover of both nature and animals, Dan was a dedicated member of the Scouts for over 15 years, he loved hiking and camping and spending any time out in the fresh air. He attended Olds College and graduated with his Heavy Equipment Operator certification.  His many other interests included skateboarding and parkour with his friends, sport shooting, video gaming, flying his drone, travelling, and taking care of his animals. A foodie at heart, one of Dan’s passions was making, eating, and photographing, delicious foods.  He loved good food, and he was always ready for something new. His favorites were chicken tendies (for which he had a complex sliding grading scale to judge their quality), seafood, especially lobster and crab legs – always guaranteed to bring a smile to his face!

Dan was happiest surrounded by family and friends and snuggling his giant orange cat, Buddy. Dan never let the effects from the cancer dampen his life. He was always ready to go and experience anything that the day had to offer. Dan was generous, selfless, and kind-hearted, although he tried to exude a tough guy persona. Anyone who met him and spoke with him realized how true the idiom was that you should never judge a book by its cover. His kindness and quirky personality shone through with every word and his smile was beautiful and true. There are not enough words to express just how much he was loved and how much he will be missed by all who knew him. Dan will be remembered as he lived with his heart of gold and his indomitable spirit.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone that took such good care of Dan at the Tom Baker Cancer Center and a special thank you to Dr. Omar Khan, Dr. Jan Henning, Dr. Chris Wilkes, Dr. Stosky. Dr. Midha, Dr. Puloski, and the palliative care team.

Dan’s family will have a celebration of Dan’s life in the summertime in Elk Point.

In lieu of flowers, PLEASE consider a donation in Dan’s name to the Alberta Cancer Foundation at

https://www.albertacancer.ca/donate/

to support continued research into cancer treatments including the cancer that Dan was afflicted with. It was Dan’s ardent hope that some day, no child or young adult would ever have to endure what he so bravely fought.

Arrangements entrusted to Florence (Flo) Simpson, Funeral Director

Cochrane Country Funeral Home – cochrane@piersons.ca – 403-932-1039 To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Daniel “Dan” Joseph Young, please visit our flower store.