Dan Michael Young

June 6, 1969 to October 31, 2024

It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Dan Young. He passed away peacefully on Halloween, after a long illness that he fought vigorously till the end. The communities of Walworth County, as well as music fans farther abroad will be shaken by the loss of his friendship, humor, intelligence, and sweet music. Aside from all of the hyperbole that is supposed to be said in an obituary, this notice is primarily meant to serve as a canvas to paint an accurate portrait of the man, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend that Dan was to so many people in his painfully short life. His sweet disposition and sharp intellect fused perfectly with his enormous heart. For those who were not lucky enough to know him personally, we hope that these words will help fill in the missing colors of his life.

Dan Michael Young was born to Layne and Erma Jean (Bierma) Young on June 6, 1969. The youngest of four children, he grew up in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, and enjoyed a happy childhood and a love of literature and music. He later studied English and English Literature at UW Whitewater, while managing Ace Hardware and, later, Jackson's Do it Best Hardware in Elkhorn for the next several decades. It was through these roles that he reached most of the community, serving as a kind and friendly servant to his customers, with an alarmingly sharp memory of his customers' names and the locations of every item in the stores.

While in college in 1992, Dan met his true love, Michele Camp, and they were later wed on September 23, 1995. They raised their beautiful and talented children, Jackson and Cassidy, in Elkhorn and spent the rest of Dan's life together with the bonds of extended family and friendships that only grew as the years went by. Throughout his life as a voracious reader, Dan accumulated the most incredible vocabulary and tried to learn a new word to add to it every day. He always looked forward to stumping his literary friends with these words, and was rarely stumped in return.

For many, Dan may best be remembered as a skilled musician and songwriter. Though he was a multi-instrumentalist, his musical journey as a player and a songwriter was rooted in the electric guitar. Or more specifically, his beloved Fender Strats and Teles. A stoic and entertaining presence on stage, and more importantly, the dude could jam! His first sojourn into rock bands began with some buddies in high school and continued until his final appearance on stage in the summer of 2024. Though he played with many bands and countless musicians in his lifetime, his most recognizable work was as the cofounder and guitarist for The Spliffs, a local band that has played venues and festivals around Wisconsin and the Midwest for decades. The friendships, love, and respect he received from his brothers-in-music can only be surpassed by the love he gave and received from his beautiful family.

Printed words cannot say enough about our dear friend. Words must be spoken. Stories must be shared. Hugs must be given. Please join the family and friends as we gather to say goodbye to Dan on Saturday, November 16th, at Haase-Lockwood Funeral Home in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Though we will be saying goodbye to his body and his ridiculously amazing head of hair, we will not be saying goodbye to his spirit and his music. Those will live on.

Dan is survived by his devoted wife, Michele Young; loving children, Jackson (Melissa Krogman) and Cassidy Young; brothers, Allen (Karel) and Brian Young; sister, Carolyn (Jeff) Kostrzewa; many nieces and nephews; best friend, Rick Stey; as well as his many beloved feline friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Layne Young.

Family and friends are invited to a memorial visitation on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 10:00AM until 12:00PM. A funeral service will follow at 12:00PM. Services held at Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Home and Crematory, 730 N. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn, WI, 53121. Online condolences at haaselockwoodfhs.com. Memorial donations can be made in Dan's honor to Lakeland Animal Shelter, PO Box 1000, Elkhorn, WI 53121