Daniel Sullivan Mezger ’68 passed away on June 10, 2015, in Woodland, California. Dan was born in Woodland in 1945, the third child of Thomas and Rosalie Mezger and was fourth-generation Californian. He attended Holy Rosary Academy and as a young boy was active in the Boy Scouts of America, attaining the Boy Scout "Eagle Rank" status. Dan was a graduate of Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose and a 1968 graduate of Santa Clara University where he obtained a BA in finance.
He excelled in sports, most notably football and track and field. While in his sophomore year at Santa Clara University he was named "Rookie of the Year" for the football team. For the rest of his life, he lived "full on" in any activity he undertook. Upon graduation from college, Dan moved to San Francisco to work at the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange. He then joined his father Tom and brother Mark in their family’s grain storage operation, Farmers Grain Elevator, est. 1937, and Mezger Trucking in 1971. Dan co-owned and operated the companies for the next 45 years with his brother Mark.
In 1977 Dan married Elizabeth Heenan of San Jose and had two children, Dan Jr. ’99 and Meara. Throughout his life, Dan was active in the community, founding member of the Woodland Sunrise Rotary Club and a past president of the Yolo Fliers Club. He also took time to help kids in the local community further their education by tutoring them in mathematics. He never retired but took time off, as he was an avid and skilled golfer and enjoyed doing so in the company of his son, Dan Jr., daughter, Meara, and with numerous lifelong friends from high school, college and business associates. Dan took the greatest delights in his family, children, grandchildren, friends, and Ellen Burriss his partner of the last 15 years.
He is survived by his partner Ellen Burriss, son Dan Mezger, Jr.(Sonia), daughter Meara Wallace (Justin), grandson Jake Wallace, granddaughter Quinn Wallace, brothers Tom Mezger (Mary Lynn) and Mark Mezger (Kerry), sisters Muvvie Marks (Steve) and Michelle Wark (Brett) along with numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas B. Mezger, brother, Matthew S. Mezger, MD, Matt’s wife, Mary Patricia Hughes and his mother, Rosalie S. Mezger.