Danny Ray Horn (also warmly known as Papa Dan by his grandchildren) died Saturday, May 23, 2020 in Vallejo, CA despite waging a valiant fight against lung cancer. He was 73.
Dan was the oldest of four boys born on February 7, 1947 in Madera, California to Betty Lou and Thomas Ray Horn. While he spent the bulk of his childhood in Arkansas and Texas, his family relocated to the Mojave Desert in time for him to graduate from Antelope Valley High School in 1965. Dan met his first wife Helen in Lancaster and they had two children Daryl (1967) and Amanda (1969). Dan started walking the beat as a mail carrier for the US Postal Service when he was 18. In 1976, he became the youngest postmaster in California when he took the position in Bishop. He was elevated to another postmaster’s position in Novato in 1981, moving there with Daryl and Amanda. Dan loved the outdoors and his time in Bishop, returning for his annual opening day of fishing season trip with family and friends each year. Bishop always remained a special place in his heart.
Dan met Betsy shortly after moving to Novato. They married in 1982 and remained lovingly by each other’s side for the rest of his life. By the time Dan retired from the Postal Service in 2002, he was the Regional Director of Operations based in Oakland. In 1995, he and Betsy settled in American Canyon. In addition to making his mark on the American Canyon community garden with his green thumb, Dan became a regular at the Napa Valley little league fields, Vintage High School games and every other community event supporting his grandkids in the area. Dan’s love and pride for his grandchildren, the gift of sports chatter along with the twinkle in his eye and bright smile will long be remembered and missed by everyone who knew him.
Dan is survived by his father Thomas Ray (97) in Arkansas, his loving wife Betsy in American Canyon, CA, daughter Amanda Horn and granddaughter Devon Biddle (13) in Bainbridge Island, WA , Daughter-in-law Denise Horn and grandchildren Greta (24) and Jared (21) in Napa, CA, his brothers Howard, Charlie, Phil and their families in the Antelope Valley. Dan was preceded in death by his mother Betty Lou in 1985 and his son Daryl (50) in 2017. Dan was also preceded in death by his grandsons Joseph Horn (14) and Baden Biddle (13) along with his son-in-law Troy Biddle (52) in 2017.
Due to COVID-19 services will not be held at this time. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in his memory to the Go2Foundation at www.go2foundation.org. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Vallejo Kaiser for their efforts and kindness.
Condolences and words of sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.tulocaycemetery.org.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Danny Ray Horn, please visit our floral store.