Daniel Roger Skarp

Daniel Roger Skarp was born in Little Falls, Minnesota on September 29th, 1947. The youngest of five boys born to Marlowe and Oscar. He grew up in Boyd where he worked in the family's grocery store. His family has heard stories about how hard he worked and how he hated the smell of lutefisk and pickled herring. We also heard about how he can’t sing and one of his elementary teachers told him to just mouth the words. Boyd always held a special place in his heart.

Dan graduated from Boyd and headed to Mankato State where he majored in Education. He met his future wife of 54 years at a party where she, allegedly, asked “Who’s that loudmouth in the corner?”. Dan and Linda were married and Dan joined the Army. He was joined in Texas by Linda and their new daughter. He served as a food inspector out of Fort Sam Houston. His time in the Army was approximately two years, seven months, and fourteen days. Not that he was counting. Then they returned to Mankato, and he finished his degree.

The small family moved to Springfield where Dan took his first and only teaching job at Springfield Public School. Dan taught mostly 5th grade, sometimes 4th, for 32 years. The family grew with the addition of two more daughters. Dan was very active in the school, the church, and the city. In school, Dan coached elementary wrestling, basketball, and flag football. He treated the kids to sunflower seeds and pop after they played at half-time during Varsity games. He refereed junior high basketball and football games and umped junior high baseball. During recess Dan ice skated with kids. Dan and Linda coached the Knowledge Bowl team. At church, he organized Summer Bible school, sometimes recruiting his daughters and wife to help.  He served as a trustee, usher and communion steward. For many years he made mashed potatoes with Jerry Diede for the church’s annual Turkey Dinner and egg bake for the Easter Sunrise Service, pressing his wife, daughters and grandchildren into helping. He took great pride in being part of the American Legion, including serving as commander, working steak fry’s,  putting up flags and as a member of the Legion Rifle Squad. During the summers, he painted barns and houses with a crew, often recruiting his daughters to help. He was a founding member of the Profound Thinkers Society, which met every Saturday at the Legion.

Dan was very sociable and liked to have people over. There were many parties with friends, food, music, and dancing to The Righteous Brothers, big band or 50’s music. The kids always liked it when the furniture would get pushed to the sides of the room and everyone danced. Dan could lead anyone and make them feel like they could dance.

When Dan retired from teaching, he did not retire from working. He drove a van for the school bus service. He worked for Sturm Funeral Home. He and Linda delivered Meals on Wheels. He enjoyed helping people and having a good time. He could often be seen “toodling” around town on his scooter, sometimes going all the way to Comfrey, Clements or Cobden with his scooter gang zipping along at 30 MPH. He and Linda had adventures being snowbirds for a month in Texas. Imagine Dan on a Segway.Dan thoroughly enjoyed his grandchildren. He and Linda drove two hours one way to go to 25 minute elementary school concerts. They spent many summer weekends watching baseball games. They attended many band and choir concerts and class plays. Dan had a special something about each one that he thought made them “a neat kid.” He really liked to talk and listen to them. They all carry a piece of Dan’s sense of humor, which is a good thing.

Dan is survived by his wife, Linda; daughter, Chris Behrens (Lee) of Burnsville, daughter, Emily Skarp of Woodbury, daughter, Megan Scheitel (Brodie) of Woodbury; grandchildren, Elora, Daniel, Emily, Genevieve, Henry, Jack, Alexander and Oscar; brothers, Alan of Grand Rapids, Jim (Dee) of Spring Lake Park and sister-in-law, Evelyn of Battle Creek, MI and many Nieces and Nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Marlowe and father, Oscar, brothers, Tom and David, sisters-in-law Edie, Carol, and Lois.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the United Methodist Church of Springfield per the family's wishes.