Daniel Poturalski

Following a long battle with COPD and Congestive Heart Failure, Daniel Hilary Poturalski peacefully passed away at the age of 80, on October 16, 2024, in Centennial, Colorado. He was born in Maspeth, New York, July 30, 1944. Dan adored his wife Patricia and three children, Joe, Jim and April. Dan and Pat were happily married for 58 years, filled with love and admiration for each other as well as for family and friends. 

The youngest of two children, Dan and his brother Stan were born and raised in New York City where both parents worked for American Airlines, their father a mechanic specializing on the DC-10 and their mother, facility maintenance. Dan was educated at a Jesuit prep school in Erie, Pennsylvania, with family aspirations of him going into the priesthood. He discovered this wasn’t his calling and attended college at St. Johns University, in New York, where he met Pat. After a year-long courtship, Dan and Pat married and packed their belongings and moved to Hearne, Texas. During his time in Hearne, he worked on urban renewal projects and submitted “Crossroads of Texas”, the town’s slogan that still remains to this day. Dan and Pat began their family in Texas, giving birth to Joe and Jim. Shortly thereafter they moved to Littleton, Colorado, where April was added to the family.

Dan had a diverse and rewarding career. Humbly starting as a teenaged laborer tarring roofs in New York, he built a long, successful career as a procurement and government contract specialist, working for companies such as Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) and Rocky Flats. In this capacity, he worked on high-profile projects including the first Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) “jet pack” used by NASA astronauts.

Dan also had many hobbies and was passionate about dancing and going to garage sales. Dancing with Pat was the highlight of his life and he often reminisced about dancing with her, participating in dance contests and even winning a few. He was also an expert at making repairs, striving to reduce cost and optimize the life out of anything around the house. Whether it be restoring cars, fixing plumbing issues, or restoring antiques from garage sales, he loved being “hands-on” to make something better. This “can-do” attitude passed down to his family and is part of his legacy. Dan was also a creative inventor, patenting “Tri-Chess” a Three Person Chess game that received local attention on the television networks and newspapers. 

Dan will be greatly missed by his family and those around him. He left a legacy of love, strong work ethic, and commitment to family. To celebrate Dan’s life, funeral services will be held at St. Mark Catholic Church in Highlands Ranch on November 8, 2024. The Rosary shall begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by Mass at 10:30 a.m. 

Dan is survived by his wife Pat and their three children and respective families. Joe, Laverne, and their son, John. Rob, April, and their children Bobby and Grace. Jim, Kelley and their children, Ellen and Lucy.