Roll Call Tribute

John William Dany 

May 7, 1951 - March 11, 2024 

John William Dany, 72, of Cantonment, Florida passed away on Monday, March 11, 2024.

John was born on May 7, 1951 in Terrell, Texas. He was the middle of three children born to John Pallai Dany and Grace Vera Bardarik Dany.

He graduated from John Jay High School, San Antonio, TX in 1969, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, with a B.S. in Psychology, December 1973, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, with a Master’s in Psychology, December 1979 and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, TX, with a Master’s in Religious Education, May 1983.

John was in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. The Corps had an annual Corps Trip from November 10-13, 1972, when they marched in a parade in downtown Dallas, TX before the football game against Southern Methodist University on November 11th. On Friday evening, November 10th, Texas Woman’s University (the sister school) hosted a Corps Trip Dance and a midnight yell practice before the game the next day. John met Karen Fisher at the dance, took her to the midnight yell practice, and Karen took him to the chapel service at the TWU Chapel in the Woods. That began their relationship and led to their marriage on May 31, 1975, in McKinney, TX. John and Karen were married almost 49 years at the time of his passing.

John graduated from Texas A&M and was commissioned in the Air Force in December 1973. Since it was at the end of the Vietnam War, they delayed his active duty until September 1976. During the three years waiting for assignment, he pursued his Master’s in Psychology at TWU, where Karen was a student. When assigned to active duty, he was in the Press Corps of the U. S. Air Force Reserves at Carswell AFB in Ft. Worth, TX, for 90 days. He participated in the rollout of the F16 fighter jet from General Dynamics that shared a runway with Carswell. He wanted career service; however, there were no officer slots available for continued active reserve or full-time active duty. He remained inactive reserves until October 1988, and was discharged with the rank of Captain.

John was ordained as a Southern Baptist Minister in April 1983, and moved to Pensacola, Florida, May 1984 to serve at the Hillcrest Baptist Church as Minister of Education. After a few years, his position changed to Church Administrator/Minister to Singles and served there until 1996. Since then, he worked in various positions in the community.

He served one year in the AmeriCorps VISTA program with “at risk youth” through the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. He provided faith-based volunteer mentors from the community for “at risk youth” in the diversion program, which included leading working with the District Courts to delay adjudication for minor crimes if the youth committed and performed the diversion program. When the one-year term was up, the Department hired him to continue that work in District 1, the four western counties in Florida.

During the four years their son, Jordan, was in the first graduating class at the new West Florida High School of Advanced Technology in Pensacola, FL, John and Karen were heavily involved volunteering and supporting the school. They cooked and served hot meals for the football team every Friday afternoon before a game for four years. They also set up and served the concession stand at each home game. John served as Chaplain for the team, gave the invocation, and Karen sang the National Anthem at each home game. Jordan graduated in May 2005 with a specialty in Sports Medicine.

John also was an inpatient drug counselor for a contract company of the Florida Department of Justice for three years. The courts would delay prison for the offenders if they successfully completed the 18-month program. If the offender did not complete the program, they went directly into the State Prison System.

John was injured in a rear-end car accident in 2012 that resulted in fractures and permanent pain in the thoracic region of his back. He worked until June 2014, but had to stop due to pain from the injury.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

John is survived by his wife of almost 49 years, Karen Fisher Dany, of Cantonment, FL; a son, Jordan William Dany, of Cantonment, FL; a sister, Christine Quinn and brother-in-law, Larry Quinn of Fairfax Station, Virginia; a brother, David Dany and sister-in-law, Nancy Dany, of San Antonio, TX; and a niece, Melissa Dany, of San Antonio, TX. John was a member of Marcus Pointe Baptist Church since 2004.

A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, March 26 at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church, 6205 North W Street, Pensacola, Florida 32505 with visitation from 11:00-12:00pm and service at 12:00pm. with Rev. Craig Hindsman officiating. Lunch will be provided directly after the service at 1:00pm in the choir practice room at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church.