Obituary of Daniel George Hannon

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. I Corinthians 13: 4-7, 13 Daniel George Hannon went peacefully to heaven on Saturday, January 8th, 2022 in Mesa, Arizona surrounded by his wife, Sally J. Hannon, and his daughters, Mary-Beth Hannon Kobs and Amy K. Hannon-Papier. He was born on March 13, 1945 in Revere, Massachusetts to ("Papa") George Herbert Hannon and ("Nana") Mary Claire Gover and their love for him was true and unending. He was the best big brother ever to his sister, Kathleen Goode and became the loving uncle to Kristen (Bamford) Sebastian, both currently residing in New Hampshire. A stalwart Boston Red Sox fan from childhood, Daniel moved north from Massachusetts to the college town of Durham, NH where he attended Oyster River High School. His passion for sport and its inherent camaraderie, led him to attend Plymouth State College (now University) in Plymouth, NH where he played varsity soccer and ice hockey and earned his teaching degree in Physical Education. Here, he met Sally J. Belanger, the love of his life. On August 26, 1967, they married in Portsmouth, NH, before embarking on their great adventure to put down roots in Bethel, Maine. Telstar Regional High School opened its doors in 1969 and Daniel was one of the first educators to teach and coach here; he helped establish a physical education program that encouraged inclusivity, responsibility, and personal effort, always asking his students and team athletes to, "Don't say you can't, say you'll try." He wanted each child, younger and older, to push through their fear and test themselves. He did this with simple instruction and with love, gaining the admiration and trust of his students and his colleagues over the course of his 29 years at Telstar. After retiring from teaching, Daniel and Sally moved west to Phoenix, AZ for part of the year to stay connected with their family. Immediately, Daniel became an active and influential member in his adult community by participating in Sunshine Club (woodworking to create toys and items for local children), water volleyball, table tennis, pool, and, his most recent favorite, pickleball. With his trademark sincerity, he established lifelong friendships in his new, west coast life; when the heat of the Sonoran Desert kicked-in from May to October, Daniel and Sally would return home to Maine. During the summers, he continued to soak up the bliss of his golden years by playing golf and painting houses with his friends and teaching his grandchildren how to fish, canoe, and play cards. Daniel was devoted to his family and absolutely loved watching his children and grandchildren, Liam, Dylan, Jack, and Talia, play their sports. Although he engaged with them on strategy, he always emphasized the importance of perseverance, humility, and teamwork. His "love of the game" was pure and manifested itself in his highlight of attending the Red Sox World Series Game in 2004 at Fenway Park with family. He also loved going to NASCAR races with his brother-in-law, Henry Goode, and playing cribbage with his son-in-law, James Papier. Without a doubt, his favorite teammate, rival, and cheerleader, all rolled-into-one, was his wife, Sally. Sally, Mary-Beth, and Amy invite you to Celebrations of Life for Daniel: Sunday, March 13, 2022 in Ahwatukee, AZ and July (date TBD), 2022 in Bethel, Maine. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Daniel G. Hannon's, "For the Love of The Game," Scholarship Fund. Money raised will be given directly to those who held a special place in Coach Hannon's heart: the student athletes of Telstar Regional High School. https://www.gofundme.com/f/daniel-g-hannon-for-the-love-of-the-game? https://gofund.me/522e6b31