Danny Mack

For 53 years, Danny Mack delighted all who knew and loved him with his great sense of humor and outgoing ways. He was easy to talk to, and with his witty personality, Danny made friends easily. There was so much to like about Danny with his carefree and easy-going ways. Although gone much too soon, Danny leaves behind wonderful memories that will remain forever in the hearts of those who knew him.

The decade of the 1960s ushered in an entirely new way of thinking within the culture of America. The Vietnam War was at the forefront, and young people everywhere were learning how to make their voices heard. The Civil Rights Movement was news of the day, and “Beatlemania” continued to change the music scene. Throughout these changing times, many found reprieve in the form of drive-in theaters and beloved television shows. Yet for Alva “Al” and Carolyn (Pontius) Mack, the birth of their son, Danny A. Mack on February 20, 1965 gave them another reason to celebrate the love of family.

Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and raised in nearby Portage where the Mack family made their home, Danny was the youngest of four children in his family, joining his older siblings, Randy, Cindy and Shari. Having enjoyed a childhood filled with boyhood adventures with neighborhood friends, Danny was an outgoing boy right from the start. From an early age he became interested in a variety of sports, especially football. He was involved in the area little leagues and later in his life he even served as a coach for his son’s team.

Danny attended the local Portage schools where he was a friend of many. While at Portage Central High School he was involved in sports and chasing girls, but the classroom never seemed to suit Danny and school as a whole just wasn’t a good fit for him. He was smart as a whip, but after his tenth grade year he left his schooling behind and started working in the lawn care business. Always street smart and quite knowledgeable in many areas, Danny began making a name for himself in this endeavor.

Danny began dating a young woman by the name of Trish Fitzsimmons. They eventually married, and to their union they shared the love of two fine sons, Danny and Brendan. After 11 years of marriage, the two parted ways when the marriage ended in divorce. In the years that followed, Danny had numerous girlfriends but he never remarried.

For the last eight years, Danny resided with his parents and suffered from several health issues along the way. He was very close to his parents, and he enjoyed attending church with them. Having been raised in faith, Danny was a member of Victory Baptist Church where he was baptized. He served as an usher there alongside his father, and together they were the first father and son usher team they had at the church. Danny worried about his parents and family members, and helped out whenever he was able. The serious side of Danny found him to be quite patriotic. He was proud of America and while he may not have always agreed with politics in general, he was indeed a proud American. In fact, Danny would even stand watching TV when the national anthem was performed.

Sports continued to capture Danny’s attention. He and his mother were big Chicago Bears fans while his father was an avid Detroit Lion’s fan which made for great rivalry between them. A big highlight for Danny was attending two Chicago Bears games, and it just so happened that both were against the Detroit Lions and the Bears won both games! Danny absolutely loved NASCAR and Kevin Harwick was his man by far. When it came to music, he liked a variety of genres. He attended many concerts over the years such as the B93 concerts which he so enjoyed. The holidays were always a special time for Danny. He especially loved Christmas and dressing up as Santa for all the kids or during Halloween celebrations, he’d go all out with decorating and dressing up. He liked grilling out on the grill and tended to a small garden he cared for and made some pretty good salsa, too. Of course, wherever Danny went, Molly, his beloved Springer spaniel was never far from his side.

When enjoying Danny’s company, it always proved to be a good time with his funny antics and great sense of humor. Danny loved laughter and seeing those he cared about laugh made his heart glad. Danny was a good conversationalist and could strike up a conversation with nearly anyone. He just had that special something that drew others to his side. Although deeply missed, never to be forgotten are treasured memories he leaves behind.

Danny A. Mack, age 53, died on July 29, 2018 in Kalamazoo. Surviving are his two children: Danny T. (Amber) Mack and Brendan (Savannah) Mack; five grandchildren; parents, Al and Carolyn Mack; three siblings: Randy (Sherry) Mack, Cindy Eaton and Shari (Charles) Futrell; many nieces, nephews and cousins. Services will be held Thursday, August 2, 2018, 1:00pm at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home, 6080 Stadium Dr. Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900 where visitation will begin at 12:00 noon. Burial will take place at Sherwood Cemetery. Please visit Danny’s personal web page at www.betzlerfuneralhome.com, where you can archive a favorite memory or photo and sign his online guestbook before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to donor’s choice.