Daniel J “Dan”
Sheehan
August 16, 1944
– March 16, 2008
Dan Sheehan passed away, after
a long battle with cancer, on March 16, 2008. Dan was 64 years old.
He was born in Chicago in 1944,
earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Quincy College, in
Quincy, Illinois then went on to earn a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology
from the University of Tulsa.
Dan began a successful career
as a Clinical Psychologist in Denver, Colorado. In 1975 he was hired
as the Director of the Columbia River Mental Health (now Elehan) and
he and his wife Mary Ann moved to Vancouver.
In the early 1990’s, Dan
opened Sheehan and Associates and began a second successful career
as a Business Consultant. Later he became President and owner of Emerald
Leaf U.S, a highly successful international company that licenses patented
fruit varieties worldwide.
Dan loved to travel and traveled
extensively for both business and pleasure. In recent years, he traveled
to Australia, Chile, Singapore, France and South Africa, among others.
He made many international friends in his travels, as he always showed
a genuine interest in the local people, their customs and history. Dan
especially loved to explore the food and wine indigenous to the countries
he visited.
A great outdoorsman, Dan had
a wide variety of outdoor activities that he enjoyed over the years.
He loved nothing better than an early morning hike in the Columbia Gorge
or setting off on an ambitious backpacking trip through the Sisters
Wilderness with Mary Ann and their friend Mitch Bower. He was an avid
fisherman, too. Stalking wily trout in a cold mountain stream with nothing
but a fly was his passion.
But the list goes on. He was
an active birder with an impressive 753
sightings on his Birders Life
List. Dan also loved wild flowers and mushrooming and had an extensive
knowledge of different varieties and where they could be found. He hosted
an annual gathering at Hemlock Lake where scores of people would come
to hunt Chantrelle mushrooms, enjoy gourmet food and wine and share
poetry.
He loved wine and had an impressive
collection that he often shared with his many friends. And, he loved
poetry and could recite many of his favorite poems by heart. But most
of all, Dan loved people. All kinds of people. He always showed a genuine
interest in anyone he was talking with and he had an amazing ability
to make each person feel important. As a result, Dan leaves behind scores
of people who considered him a “close friend.”
Dan Sheehan is survived by
his loving wife of 41 years, Mary Ann and their son, Lucas, Portland,
Ore; mother, Myra Sheehan, Morro Bay, Ca; brothers Martin Sheehan, Eugene,
Ore, Timothy Sheehan, Porterville, Ca and Peter Sheehan, Morro
Bay, Ca; sister Myra Sheehan, Reno, NV. Dan was preceded in death by
father, Dan Sheehan and brother, Jack Sheehan.
The family requests that, in
lieu of flowers, a donation be made to one of Dan’s favorite charities:
The Nature Conservancy or the Audubon Society.
Please sign the guest book
at: www. Columbian.com/obituaries
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