David E. Danskin

Marengo- David E. Danskin was born to Eugene and Arleen Danskin and grew up on the family farm just west of Marengo. He graduated from Iowa Valley High School (Marengo) in 1963.He attended the University of Iowa, but decided he needed to pause his formal education to see the world and to experience other vocations. He worked for the University’s physics department at their satellite tracking facility, joined the Merchant Marines and worked on freighters in the Great Lakes for a couple of years and then became a crew member for a research vessel conducting a variety of oceanic studies in the Pacific Ocean for about a year. worked at Amana Refrigeration on the team that designed the first microwave oven, worked at Square D in the quality control department. David wanted to complete his education but was tired of Iowa’s winters, so he enrolled at Arizona State University. He worked part time for a firm that did landscaping maintenance for apartment buildings to support himself while taking classes at ASU. It was during this time that he developed diabetes, but it went undiagnosed for too long. He eventually moved back to Iowa to get better medical care. His final years were difficult as he struggled to keep diabetes under control.

I will miss the sharp sense of humor he showed when he felt good, and I miss his love of teaching and talking about the many branches of science he enjoyed and studied.