Daniel Banavige

Daniel T. Banavige, of Phillips, Wisconsin, died on Sunday, February 6, 2022, at his home. He was born on September 15, 1940, to Joseph and Sarah (Zelonis) Banavige in Peckville, PA.

While a very sad day for us left behind, it brings great joy to our hearts to know Dan, Patti, Tamara, and Ronan are united as a family in Heaven and feasting away at God's greatest banquet table of home cooked gourmet food. Dan's life, from beginning to end, was full of pride and passion. As a young boy growing up in Manchester, Connecticut, little Danny rose to be the fastest tobacco picker on the farm and was proud of being promoted to the coveted leadership role of Straw Boss. He rose from playing baseball with his brothers on a vacant lot behind their house to becoming the proud Captain of his 1962 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Varsity baseball team. As the first member of his family to attend college, after putting in a lot of hard work and effort, Danny was very proud to be awarded a full college scholarship from Pratt & Whitney.

Bypassing any aspirations of playing professional baseball, the older Dan rose up the ranks of the Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning industry, and was proud to have helped lead several companies, including McQuay Perfex and Barry Blower in Minnesota, Buffalo Forge in Buffalo, New York, and IAP in Phillips, Wisconsin. It was outside of work, however, where Dan really excelled and enjoyed spending his time. He was passionate about cooking, woodworking, fishing, his Polish heritage, his numerous dogs, and most of all, his grandchildren. As Grandpa Dan rises up one last time to the gates of eternal salvation, our pride in him will remain and our gratitude for his life will grow to new heights with the knowledge we will someday share again, as a reunited family, the passions he loved so much. Until then, happy cooking in Heaven!

He is survived by his son Joseph (Maureen); former wife, Mary; brother, John (Gail); stepson, James Fitzgerald; grandchildren, Benjamin, Joseph (Audrey), and Maeve; step-grandchildren, Jessica Peterson, Meghan Fitzgerald, Nicole Busshart, and Matthew Fitzgerald; and Tamara's longtime partner, Eva Elisdriel (Grooters).

Dan was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia; parents; siblings, Joseph, Bernard, Stanley Banaeige, Anna Izikewicz and Frances Pshiholtz; daughter, Tamara; and grandson, Ronan.

Catholic Mass and burial services will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to www.catkinsrescue.org by selecting the "donate" button on the top of their homepage. Dan's primary companionship the last three months of his life was a rescue dog named Panina. We're sure Dan would be honored to have your support of this local dog rescue organization. Heindl-Nimsgern Funeral Home is assisting the family.