Daniel Carl Coonan of North Brookfield passed away after a long hard-fought battle with cancer. He leaves behind his parents, Betty and Bob Filipkowski, his brother, Glenn Coonan. His Uncle Larry Burtt and Aunt Chaele of South Carolina, Uncle Albert Burtt and partner Tom from Leicester, Uncle Mike and Aunt Leah of Oxford and his Grandfather Stanley “Glenn-O” Filipkowski of Worcester, and many other extended family members. He is also predeceased by his loving Grandparents, Carl and Violet Burtt and Grandmother, Donna Filipkowski.
He was an avid Celtics and Bruins fan, loved his Red Sox and masked his love for the Rams. Danny was a great athlete who loved his sports. He was a champion in baseball, won basketball games with last second free throws, and even was a finalist in candlepin bowling championships. He loved his backyard wresting crew and often traveled with his brother throughout New England to compete. Like all of us Danny was not without missteps in life, but he embraced those mistakes and realized they made him a stronger person. He finished his education by going back to school for his G.E.D. and it was there he received the Tenacity Award from Y.O.U. Inc. Tenacity is defined as the quality or fact of being determined. Those that knew Danny, know how much this applied to him and all he did in life. He worked hard to get himself a full time job, his own place, and established himself on his own with his own dreams and aspirations. Although he moved away to create his own life, he never forgot the many childhood friends from his hometown.
Danny will forever be known to his friends and family as a person who was a truly caring and loving person who was taken far too young. He truly cared for those close to him and was fiercely loyal to them. Danny lived life on his own terms and he died on his own terms as well, peacefully and quietly choosing to have those who knew and loved him to remember him as he was.
Celebration of Life services will be held on Tuesday, May 29th from 6-9 PM at the Knights of Columbus 91 Mannville Street, Leicester, MA. In lieu of flowers Danny had requested donations be made in his name to the Worcester County Food Bank.