Daniel G. Shelafoe, Sr., 55, of 649 Valkyrie Street, Gwinn, entered eternal life Wednesday afternoon, March 30, 2005, shortly after admittance to Marquette General Hospital. 

Dan was born November 23, 1949 in Baraga, a son of Richard C. and Sarah A. (Whetung) Shalifoe, Sr., and was raised in Beartown.  Dan served in the US Marine Corps during the Vietnam Era and, following his honorable discharge, moved to Marquette.  On May 20, 1972 he married JoAnn E. Robinson in Marquette and the couple began to establish their home and raise a family.  During this time Dan was employed at the K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, working in the commissary.  On June 7, 1974 Dan received his high school diploma from the Marquette Senior High School.  In 1978 the family moved to Escanaba where they resided for the next 17 years; Dan working for the US Forest Service and later as a machinist for ESCAN until that facility closed.  The family moved back to Marquette where Dan was employed, since 1993, as security supervisor for the Ojibwa II Casino in Harvey.  Dan was a man of strong Christian values.

Dan’s family always came first and the grandchildren were especially precious to him.  If he was not with one or more of his grandkids, he could be found collecting, almost anything, or working with electronics and “putzing”.

Dan was a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.

A loving husband, devoted father, proud grandpa, and brother, he is survived by his wife of 32 years, JoAnn; two daughters, Michelle L. (William) Stanton and Stephanie M. Shelafoe both of Gwinn; four sons, Daniel G. (Nicole) Shelafoe Jr, William J. Shelafoe, Christopher L. Shelafoe, and Shawn A. Shelafoe all of Gwinn; his dear grandchildren, Eddie, Jenna, Lacie, Destinee, Ashley, Johnnie, Taylor, Kimber, Kaitlyn, Derrik, Payton, and Ethan; five brothers, Richard (Gloria) Shalifoe, Jr of Zeba, Ted Shalifoe, Matt (Nancy) Shalifoe, and Donny (Helene) Shalifoe all of Baraga, and Fred (Peggy) Shelifoe of Marquette; four sisters, Janice Shalifoe, Molly (Chuck) Loonsfoot, and Ginny Ann Germac all of Baraga, and Cecelia “Myrt” Miller of Traverse City; his mother-in-law, Audrey Robinson of Harvey; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.  In addition to his parents, Dan was preceded in death by his father-in-law and brother-in-law, James Robinson, Sr and James Robinson, Jr.

Friends may call at the Sawyer Free Will Baptist Church, Sawyer, on Saturday, April 2, beginning at 12:00 noon.  Funeral services will follow at 2:00 pm Saturday afternoon in the church with Rev. Greg Floars officiating.  A reception for family and friends will follow in the church fellowship hall.  Pallbearers will be Tony and Matt Shalifoe Jr, Craig Germac, R.C. Loonsfoot, James Robinson III, and James Greenleaf.

Burial, with veterans’ honors, will be made in the Northland Chapel Gardens on Tuesday at 1:00 pm.