Daniel Scheidegger

Daniel Scheidegger (Dan), age 56, died Thursday, November 10 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN. Dan was born April 29, 1960 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Calvin Scheidegger and Roberta Lowe.

As a youngster, Dan approached life with enthusiasm. He had plenty of adventures with his older brothers, always outside climbing trees or hopping onto moving trains and traveling around the city for fun. He had such compassion for people around him. He was always good to the neighborhood kids, especially the younger ones. He was like the guard dog of the neighborhood, always watching that the kids were safe. His compassion also extended to animals. He had such a love of animals that continued into his final years. It was never uncommon to see Dan feeding the stray cats on the block. Dan was also very passionate about music. As a teenager, he bought a guitar and learned to play with his best friend Roger. He was a natural. His favorite song to cover was Stairway to Heaven. It wasn't long before he was writing his own music.

Dan married Karen Scheidegger in 1990 and had 5 children: Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Benjamin, and Rachel. Becoming a father was his calling. He put his children before everything else in his life. It was impossible to feel anything but special and loved in his presence. Any accomplishment, big or small, was greeted with the most genuine praise and admiration from Dan. He raised them with good values, frequently reminding them not to "antagonize" one another (and teaching vocabulary in the same moment) and showing them the true act of "courtesy" (another vocabulary lesson). In many ways, he was the best teacher to have growing up. He made his children feel valued and important. Whether they were helping him chop wood (at a very young age!), plant flowers, or make a homemade pizza, he included his kids in everything. He seemed to always know what they were thinking, too. Somehow he always knew the right words to say, or the perfect present to give. Sometimes all he had to do was give a look and smile and it was enough.

Dan left this world but before leaving he left an indelible mark on his family and will continue to live through them. His genuine love, devotion, and compassion will be forever cherished.

Dan is survived by his five children; Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Benjamin, and Rachel; his mother, Roberta Lowe; his brothers, Todd, Monte, and Wade; his sisters, Laura and Tanya; many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and fostered animals, and love of his life, Karen Scheidegger.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Gustav and Muriel Scheidegger; and father, Calvin Scheidegger.

A memorial gathering will be held from 11-1 Wednesday, November 16 at Hoff Celebration of Life Center.