It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Daniel J DiCiolla. Dan passed away peacefully at age 72 on Friday, March 26, 2021 surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by his two daughters Danielle and Taylor, and fiance Debora Quarto.

Dan was born on August 5th, 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio to parents Joseph and Daisy DiCiolla. He is also survived by his four siblings, Nancy York, Ron DiCiolla, Linda Anderson, Chris Ramos, and their families. The family relocated to Florida where Dan married Patricia Puccini DiCiolla in 1976. They spent 32 years together and shared two children, Amber Danielle DiCiolla (b. 1991) and Taylor Alexandra DiCiolla (b. 1994).

Dan was a Vietnam War Veteran who had served 3 years overseas as a United States Army Ranger. He was an SP4 Expert Marksman who set multiple records and earned a National Defense Medal before he was honorably discharged in 1971 and began making his way back to Florida. Along the way he trained and showed horses across the states and enjoyed living life as a cowboy. Most of us know him as Cowboy Dan, and one of his favorite memories from the show days was meeting Secretariat and watching him win the Triple Crown back in 1973.

Dan earned a bachelors degree in Sociology with a major in Criminology from Montana State University in 1979. Dan immersed himself in construction and started to develop a name and career for himself in the industry. Over his expansive career, he has worked in all areas of construction supervision and field direction in multifamily, hospitality, new construction and renovation. He has worked for several nationally recognized companies including Camden Property Trust, Lincoln Properties and most recently was Vice President of Chance Partners, LLC. He also boasts over forty-four years of hands-on construction experience, specializing in supervision, scheduling, contracts and finish work. In recognition of outstanding contributions to his field, Dan was named "Professional of the Year" by Cambridge Whos Who Publishing for the 2009/2010 year. He was a skilled and coveted builder, and many people were thrilled to work with him throughout his career.

Dan was never the type of person to let things get in his way. In 2010, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer has only a 5% survival rate after diagnosis, and Dan was determined to beat those odds. He set records at Tampa General Hospital with Dr Rosemurgy and after a successful surgery and six months of chemotherapy, he was considered cancer free. Dan always credited this amazing success story to the love for his children and his desire to see them grow and be successful in their lives.

Dan was a devoted father and a relentless provider for the family. He balanced these two roles seamlessly and always made sure to put family first. Of the many titles hes had in life, his favorite was "Daddy." Dans daughters were the center of his world and he made sure everyone knew. He was not only a loving father, but a friend to his girls and always guided them through both positive and challenging times in life. Everything Dan did in his life; he did for his daughters.

He permanently settled his boots in Dade City, FL in 2003 in the house he built for his family. It is here that we invite everyone to come and celebrate his life on Saturday, April 10th at 1pm. Dan was a loyal friend and has touched so many lives over the years, and we welcome everyone to join in celebrating his legacy. Everyone who knew him always had a tale to tell, and we cannot wait to relive these fun memories with you. Food and beverages will be provided. Dan would not want us to gather and be sad, instead he would want us to celebrate his amazing life and enjoy an ice-cold beer.