Dan Joseph Kizer (1952 – 2023)

Dan Joseph Kizer, 71, of Front Royal, Virginia, passed away on July 8, 2023, in the comfort of his home.

Dan Joseph Kizer

A funeral service will take place on July 16^th, 2023, at 11:00 am.  The service will be held at Maddox Funeral Home in Front Royal, VA.  Dan will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

Dan was born on January 19, 1952, in Louisville, Kentucky, to the late Dallas and Bobbie Kizer. He was also preceded in death by his brother, David Kizer, and his sisters, Nancy Kizer and Debbie Kizer.

Surviving Dan are his loving Children, Tony Kizer (Paula), Ashley Price (Chad), and Tim Kizer (Amy); his siblings, Don Kizer, William Kizer, and Sandy Panky; his grandchildren, Zachary Kizer, Mason Kizer, and Jackson Price; many nieces and nephews; his family friends, Janet, Bob, and Jen German; and his beloved German Shepherd, Max.

While Dan was born in Kentucky, he was raised in Sonoma, California.  It was shortly after high school he joined the Air Force, where he gave 22 years of devoted service. He worked as a vehicle mechanic and part of the security police but spent the majority of his career as an airfield manager.  Through his service, he had the honor of working with Air Force One, The Thunderbirds, and countless service men and women.  He had numerous accomplishments while in the Air Force and served during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

It was in the Air Force that he met and married Susan Barnhart.  They had three children and went on many adventures, including crossing the country, in a Volkswagen camper van to explore the US with their kids. In between those trips, Dan enjoyed taking his family camping, fishing, and skiing at Lake Metigoshe.

Dan moved to Virginia after retiring from the Air Force and went on to work at Randolph Macon Academy and Mt. Weather.   He later married Jennifer German, and they enjoyed camping, traveling, working on home projects, family holidays, and spending time with the grandsons.

In his spare time, he enjoyed woodworking and decorating his house for the holidays to entertain his neighborhood. He took great pride in his Halloween and Christmas decorations, which often took weeks to months to prepare. The holidays meant a great deal to Dan, and he enjoyed making others smile with the holiday spirit.  The family often joked that Clark Griswold was inspired by him.  He also had a love of animals, music, his country, and, above all, his family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to https://k9sforwarriors.org/.