Birth date: Jun 24, 1962 Death date: Sep 17, 2024
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Daniel Paul Temple Speck, known affectionately to friends and family as Dan, who left us on September 17, 2024, after a valiant struggle with prostate cancer. Born on June 24, Read Obituary
My heartfelt condolences to Dan's immediate and extended family. I was close friends with Dan in Drexel Hill Junior High where he was "Most Likely to Succeed" and even closer friends with him at UDHS where he was truly one-of-one. A hilarious, long-haired polymath he would muse in French and knew more about math, science and early computers than anyone I have ever met. That is mild interesting in private school, but at Upper Darby it was astonishing. He made me laugh harder than anyone, and I will continue to think of him often.
January 1983 and June 2024, the very first and very last photos of us together.
I am writing on behalf of my husband, Tom Leoboldt, who worked with Dan for 10 years at Bloomberg. Tom is blind and can't post himself, but he's been sharing wonderful memories of Dan with me and how much he loved working with him. Dan and Tom regularly geeked out about technology and got into lively discussions about it. Dan was very kind to Tom, driving him to team lunches, happy hours, etc. and making sure Tom was looked after. It is clear to me that Dan's lasting legacy is his big heart, his brilliant mind, and the love he shared with friends and family.
I had to cut some parts of my speech to keep it to 10 minutes per John’s request. I’m including the longer version here & apologize for any co-worker comments I omitted. I am so grateful John asked me to speak and it was heart-warming to hear all the tributes and to meet Dan & John’s friends and family.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-BQwRUf3u3WZAdqf4KWYapG7JE-1SXOwGPmQZ4L77po/edit
I remember when I started at the Washington Karate Academy in 2009, and it was clear from my first class with Dan and Dana that WKA was the right place for me to deeply commit to martial arts, to solve a particular problem at the time, and to get to know wonderful people.
Dan was warm-hearted, considerate, witty, and a big adherent to tradition in Uechi-Ryu karate. I appreciated his emphasis on a structured training schedule in class, along with the importance of traditions like doing seiza, and putting portraits of Kanbun and Kanei Uechi in the right order.
I was amazed he even came up with a new bunkai for Seiryu kata. It was fun doing it...
With his large stature, he also taught me (a short person) how to fight taller people. While I still have more to learn, I have the confidence to fight any opponent and adapt as needed.
Dan and his husband John were very gracious hosts when inviting WKA members for parties. Those events are deep in my memories...
During the pandemic, Dan was generous enough to design chi-ishi for his students, which were helpful in our training. I've spent several years with the 3.8 lb chi-ishi I came to pick up from his home. Then shortly after Dan's passing, fellow classmate Mike Meier gave me his 4.7 lb chi-ishi, which I was ready for.
One of his last gifts to me was a flag of Okinawa. When I heard he went into hospice, I did get a frame for it and put it up in my room.
My last meeting with him was during a WKA holiday party as he was undergoing chemotherapy. I didn't expect him to go so soon.
I will remember his devotion to martial arts tradition, his commitment to his students, and his generosity. His qualities inspire me to be a better student at WKA.
There is a part of my room that contains things that remind me of him, the Okinawan flag and the 2 chi-ishi.
-Heyfa Khenissi
I've had the pleasure of being John and Dan's tenant in their DC home for the last 8 years. As a landlord Dan demonstrated all those qualities that so many others have spoken about -- generosity, kindness, warmth and wonderful quirkiness (I remember him explaining that the WiFi network name and password were phrases from Japanese anime). He quickly and enthusiastically fixed anything that needed fixing in the apartment and clearly enjoying finding ever better technology solutions for things around the house. Just a few examples of the generous people John and Dan are -- they let me spend a perfect summer weekend staying in their Rehobeth Beach house one summer, they discounted my rent when I spent a few months living in another state during early COVID, they let me freely use their front and back porches which was especially nice during COVID to have safe outdoor space to be or sit with friends, and they have always so patient and understanding with anything I brought to them as a tenant. Dan helped give me the best home I've ever had in Washington DC. Many mornings when I would come out of my apartment, Dan would be sitting on the porch, looking so content to be enjoying life and the beautiful DC weather, and feeding peanuts to the squirrels. Part of me still expects to see him there when I come out of my basement apartment. I will very much miss him. Thank you so much for the beautiful obituary and the livestream of his celebration of life, I loved learning so new things about who Dan was and how many communities he made such a difference to.
Dan was a piece of work. I knew him Cornell from Donlon and a really wonderful Freshman seminar, which Dan helped make even more-so . He was so serious, smart, and funny at the same time. I'll never forget when I was in Uris Hall and randomly looked out the window and saw his tall, lanky figure doing a ‘kung fu’ type of walk, fighting off imaginary assailants.
Dan Speck was a lovely man, intelligent, generous, and quick with a smile.
People were often first attracted to Dan’s height, and back in the ages before cellphones, when we were at a club, rally, or parade, we would all look for Dan standing a full head above the crowd, to bring us all together. “Meet at Dan” was the unspoken agreement. What brought people closer, were Dan’s kindness, confidence, and easygoing acceptance of people as they were. Dan didn’t like complications, and when you were with him, everything seemed to sort itself out with minimal drama.
I met Dan in the Winter of 1983, and even then it was “Dan and John” or “John and Dan”. People want to know the secret that makes a relationship work, but there was no secret. Dan and John loved each other and enjoyed each other’s company. Their similarities brought them together, and their differences complemented each other.
With several other Ithaca friends, we quickly became a close second family, growing up together as we worked through college and coming out. Throughout the decades, wherever Dan and John lived, I knew I had a second home, a place to stay, spend holidays, join family. Sometimes many years would go by before we saw each other again, but the connections were always there, strong and comfortable.
Dan had wide-ranging musical tastes and was always bringing forward new discoveries from unexpected places: Iris Dement, Rufus Wainwright, Elliott Smith, Ethyl Meatplow…. Dan had a great sense of humor and appreciated the absurd, irreverent, and perverse. We would often laugh just at the mention of a particular word or phrase from an escapade or an obscure book, song, or movie.
Dan was strong and a black-belt in karate. He was a protector of underdogs and lover of furry creatures. He was always stopping to pet kitties, and he fed squirrels from his front porch. I was one of the many squirrels who enjoyed his company.
When we lived in Ithaca, the summer days were long, almost endeless. After work or class, we would gather at John and Dan’s little apartment on Terrace Place and grill on the back deck. We would laugh and drink as the sun slowly set. I would think, “This is the way my life will always be: joyful, gentle, surrounded by friends.” Dan was like a brother to me. I love him, and I will carry him in my heart.
I'm very thankful to have been being able to have had Dan as a friend and Karate-do colleague for so many years.
Images of the wonderful times we all had together at the dojo and at dojo picnics over the years are flooding my brain. Evening classes at WKA Dojo in DC. Dan listening to me patiently while I explain some of my wilder theories regarding the practice of Uechi-ryu. Learning a lot from Dan's practical and direct approach to Uechi-ryu. Post-workout drinks and dinner at Guapos. Summer Picnics. Trying not to crash Dan's prize drone a few years ago while at a WKA Dojo party at Chris's country place. Dinner with Dan and John at their favorite Italian restaurant in DC.
Dan was always very kind and quite generous with his time. He is missed.
Bruce Hirabayashi
