Obituary of Daniel Lester Girard

Daniel Lester Girard, age 70, passed away in Harrison, Maine. After a long battle with COPD complications, he died peacefully at his home on Sunday, January 12, 2025. While the world is now a little less bright, heaven just got a lot more fun. Dan was born on November 7, 1954, to Doris Merriman and Lloyd Girard, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up in Dansville, New York, and he graduated from Dansville Senior High with the class of 1972. He brought artistry, laughter and just the right amount of mischief into the lives of everyone he met. A man of many talents, Dan had a gift for gardening, cooking, baking, carpentry, sign-painting, sailing and so many things requiring craftsmanship and creativity. As a young teenager, Dan washed school buses at the Dansville school bus garage. When he turned 18, he began working on the docks for Shay's Trucking Company until its closure. Dan drove delivery trucks, first for UPS, and then commercial semi-trailer for FedEx in Maine. He also was the proud owner of a small sign-making company in Dansville, and a barbeque catering business in Maine. As a life-long learner still seeking a challenge, he pursued his passion for music in his 50's, earning a degree in jazz from the University of Maine, where he studied music theory, keyboard and guitar. Dan is predeceased by his parents, Doris and Lloyd Girard. He is survived by his sister (Deborah Girard), his daughter (Nichole Girard), his son (Michael Girard), and a granddaughter (Cami Andre). A Celebration of Life will be held in the Spring or early Summer in Dansville, New York, with a location, date and time to be announced soon). Friends and family are encouraged to bring funny stories and fond memories to share in honor of Dan's life.