MY DAD'S EULOGY GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DONNA, AND I’M DAN’S YOUNGEST DAUGHTER. I WANT TO START BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE MY DAD’S LIFE. AS A PROFESSIONAL WRITER, I CAN SAY THIS IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST ASSIGNMENTS I’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN. HOW DO YOU DISTILL 80 YEARS OF A MAN’S LIFE INTO A FEW MINUTES? A MAN WHO TRULY LIVED. A MAN YOU TRULY LOVED. A MAN YOU CALLED NOT ONLY A FATHER BUT A FRIEND. I DON’T KNOW, BUT I’M GOING TO TRY. MY DAD WAS MANY THINGS. HE WAS A LOVING SON, BROTHER, FATHER, AND GRANDFATHER. HE WAS A CARING GODFATHER, UNCLE, COUSIN, AND FRIEND. HE WAS A SOLDIER, A SERGEANT, AND A SELF-MADE BUSINESSMAN. MY DAD WENT TO WORK AT THIRTEEN TO HELP SUPPORT HIS FAMILY. HIS HUMBLE BEGINNINGS FUELED HIS TIRELESS AMBITION. FROM AN EARLY AGE. HE DREAMED OF OWNING HIS OWN BUSINESS ONE DAY—HE ACHIEVED THAT DREAM AND FAR EXCEEDED IT. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY DAD BUILT ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES IN SOUTH JERSEY DURING THE 1980S AND 1990S, D’ANDREA TIRE, INC. HE HAD MANY PROSPEROUS BUSINESS ENDEAVORS, BUT HIS COMPANY WAS HIS PRIDE AND JOY. MY DAD TAUGHT ME NUMEROUS LESSONS IN LIFE, BUT THE ONE I’LL REMEMBER MOST IS THE VALUE OF HARD WORK. SUCCESS DIDN’T COME EASY TO HIM BY ANY MEANS. HE WOULD OFTEN SAY TO ME, “DONNA, DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND YOU’LL NEVER WORK A DAY IN YOUR LIFE.” HOW TRUE THAT IS. MY DAD LOVED HIS WORK. AND PEOPLE LOVED TO WORK FOR HIM. HE LIVED AND BREATHED D’ANDREA TIRE FOR OVER 25 YEARS OF HIS LIFE, EARNING COUNTLESS ACCOLADES AND AWARDS. AS MUCH AS MY DAD LOVED HIS WORK, HE LOVED HIS FAMILY MORE. HE WANTED TO GIVE MY SISTERS AND I, THE LIFE HE NEVER HAD—HE GAVE US SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. WE WERE BLESSED WITH A CHILDHOOD OF PRIVILEGE, ONE FULL OF LOVE, LAUGHTER, AND ENDLESS SUMMERS DOWN THE SHORE IN WILDWOOD. MY DAD LOVED LONG DAYS ON THE BEACH AND WATCHING SUNSETS ON THE BAY. HE LOVED RIDING BIKES ON THE BOARDWALK AND SHARING A BANANA SPLIT FROM DUFFER’S. HE LOVED GOING OUT ON HIS COUSIN DOMINIC’S BOAT AND WATCHING THE FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS. MY DAD WAS A PATRIOT. HE WAS PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN AND A VETERAN. HE TAUGHT ME EARLY ON ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR AND ALL THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO LAY THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EVERY DAY FOR THIS COUNTRY. SO MUCH OF WHO I AM IS MY FATHER. HE GAVE ME MY LOVE OF HISTORY, MUSIC, AND ART. HE WAS A GIRL DAD THROUGH AND THROUGH. I SPEAK FOR MY SISTERS AND MYSELF WHEN I SAY OUR DAD WAS OUR FIRST LOVE AND HERO GROWING UP. HE WAS THERE, CAMERA IN HAND, FOR EVERY MILESTONE BIG AND SMALL FROM BEFORE WE COULD EVEN TALK. BIRTHDAYS. DANCE RECITALS. BAND CONCERTS. SKATING COMPETITIONS. GRADUATIONS. AND WEDDINGS. FOR A MAN WHO WAS ALWAYS BEHIND THE CAMERA, YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT MY DAD WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF IT. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, HE USED TO TAKE ME TO THE MOVIES OFTEN. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, WHEN WE WOULD LEAVE THE THEATER, HE WOULD TURN TO ME AND SAY, “BOY, IT MUST BE COOL TO BE AN ACTOR, DONNA.” “WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?” I WOULD ASK, CURIOUS. “BECAUSE, WHEN YOU MESS UP, YOU GET TO DO IT OVER AGAIN.” AS A KID, I DIDN’T FULLY COMPREHEND WHY THIS INTRIGUED HIM SO MUCH. BUT NOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MEANT. HE WANTED A SECOND CHANCE TO RIGHT HIS WRONGS. MY DAD WASN’T PERFECT. LIKE ALL OF US, HE HAD HIS FAULTS. BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, IT’S NOT THE MISTAKES THAT MAKE A MAN. MAYBE, INSTEAD, IT’S THE MISTAKES THAT SHAPE AND MARK OUR FATE. PERHAPS IF WE NEVER VEERED OFF COURSE, WE WOULD NEVER BECOME THE PEOPLE WE’RE MEANT TO BE OR LEARN THE LESSONS WE’RE MEANT TO LEARN. PERHAPS WE WOULDN’T KNOW THE BEAUTY OF MERCY, THE POWER OF HARD-WON WISDOM, AND THE GRACE OF REDEMPTION. MY DAD LEARNED THOSE LESSONS. HE LIVED, HE LOVED, HE LOST, AND THROUGH IT ALL HE NEVER LOST SIGHT OF HIMSELF. I ALWAYS ADMIRED THAT QUALITY ABOUT HIM. HE KNEW WHO HE WAS AND FULLY OWNED IT. ONCE YOU MET MY DAD, YOU NEVER FORGOT HIM. HE WAS THE KIND OF MAN WHO WALKED INTO A ROOM AND LEFT AN IMPRESSION. HE WAS THE KIND OF MAN WHO WOULD GIVE YOU THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK. HE SHOWED KINDNESS TO STRANGERS. COMPASSION TO FRIENDS. AND AN ABUNDANCE OF AFFECTION TO HIS FAMILY, ESPECIALLY ME AND MY TWO SISTERS, GINA AND DANA. EVEN THOUGH ALZHEIMER’S SLOWLY TOOK MY DAD’S MIND, IT NEVER TOOK HIS SPIRIT. HE STILL HAD THAT SPARK, THAT UNDENIABLE CHARISMA THAT MADE HIM SUCH A SUCCESS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. BECAUSE THE BEATLES WERE ONE OF HIS FAVORITE GROUPS, I’M GOING TO CHANNEL THEIR WORDS TO DESCRIBE MY FATHER DURING HIS BATTLE WITH THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE. “EVEN WHEN MEMORIES LOST THEIR MEANING, HE NEVER LOST THE AFFECTION FOR THE PEOPLE AND THINGS THAT WENT BEFORE. BECAUSE IN HIS LIFE, HE LOVED THEM MORE.” HE HELD ONTO THE MEMORIES THAT MEANT THE MOST TO HIM—HIS CHILDHOOD IN PENNSAUKEN, HIS TIME IN THE ARMY, HIS MOTHER’S CRÈME PUFFS, HIS CARS, ESPECIALLY HIS CORVETTES AND HIS JAGUARS, THE LONG LUNCHES HE HAD AT FILOMENA’S WITH FRIENDS, AND ALL THE SPECIAL TIMES HE HAD RAISING HIS THREE GIRLS. AND ALTHOUGH WE’RE SAD HE’S GONE, I THINK I SPEAK FOR MY SISTERS AND HIS WHOLE FAMILY WHEN I SAY WE ARE ALL RELIEVED HE IS FINALLY AT PEACE AND REUNITED WITH ALL HIS LOVED ONES THAT WENT BEFORE, ESPECIALLY HIS PARENTS, ANTOINETTE AND DAN, HIS UNCLE NICK AND AUNT DOLORES, AND HIS SISTER JANICE. WHEN YOU THINK OF MY DAD, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER HIM THROUGH ALL THE GOODYEARS, PUN INTENDED. HOW HE LOVED TO LAUGH, JOKE AND PUSH EVERYONE’S BUTTONS. I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER HIM NOT ONLY FOR WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT FOR WHO HE WAS: A GENEROUS AND LOVING SON, FATHER, BROTHER, AND FRIEND. HIS LEGACY LIVES ON IN ME, MY SISTERS, AND THE FAMILY HE CHERISHED, THE LIVES HE TOUCHED, AND THE EXAMPLE HE SET THROUGH A LIFETIME OF HARD WORK AND UNWAVERING LOVE. REST EASY, DAD. I HOPE YOU’RE CRUISING THOUGH THE SKY IN YOUR FAVORITE BLUE CORVETTE AND LOOKING DOWN WITH PRIDE, KNOWING JUST HOW MUCH YOU WERE LOVED.

I love you Dad always and forever 🩵

Danny, we are truly sorry for your passing. I have been one of Dan’s best Army buddies for one and half years at Ft. Carson, CO. On weekends he and I search would search for good Italian food and subs while the guys from the west coast would look for Mexican. We would spend several evenings a week dancing at the Ole Corral bar/entertainment where I met my bride of 58 years. Dan and I were fortunate that we had permanent status at Ft Carson and didn’t have to go to Vietnam. After we got out we kept in touch and went to dinner each visit to NJ. Dan, we never forgot you and you’ll be in our hearts forever. We love you, Joe & Kathy

My deepest sympathies to Steve, Donna, Gina and Dana. Thinking of you all during this difficult time.

My thoughts and prayers and with Donna and her family at this time of need. God Bless! ❤️

There is never enough time. I'm so sorry for your loss.

My deepest sympathies for Donna Gina and Dana and brother Steve . May Dan RIP. ❤️❤️❤️

I will always cherish our Wednesday nights at Bodine’s, then Fat Jacks, and especially Filomena’s at any time. Rest in peace old buddy.

Donna, Gina, Dana and Steve, So very sorry for the loss of your dad and brother. Sending prayers for comfort and strength at this difficult time. Rest In Peace, Dan. 😢

Sending love and prayers for you and your family.

Donna I am so sorry for your loss. My prayers ate with you and your family my heart rest in peace. Your Dad was always kind to me invited me to his shore house every summer so I could spend time with you and my sister that meant a lot to me my prayers are with him 🙏🙏🙏Love you

In memory of Daniel D’Andrea, Dana D’Andrea lit a candle

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.