Daniel Dale Hanle was born on July 25, 1956, in England, the second of three children born to Don and Dorothy Hanle. He grew up alongside his older brother, Don, and younger sister, Deanna. In 1958, the family moved to Miami, Florida, eventually settling in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1970.

From early childhood, Dan demonstrated a profound intellect, yet he was always anchored by a deeper foundation: his faith. Having embraced Jesus Christ as his Savior in his early teens, Dan made scripture and service the cornerstone of his life. He served as a Bible study leader, church elder, youth leader, interim pastor, and frequently went on international missions.

Dan graduated from Columbia High School in 1974 and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a double major in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. He then earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech). He eventually settled in Connecticut for 30 years where he spent his career in Research and Development with Medical Centrifuges, working for DuPont, Sorvall, Kendro, Fiberlite, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

While at CalTech, Dan met his wife, Carolyn, through a church Bible study. They were married on May 28, 1983, and lived a life of shared faith and deep friendship. Together, they raised two children, Donny and Elizabeth.

In retirement, Dan and Carolyn relocated to California to be near family. Dan was a man of diverse passions—an Eagle Scout, a pilot, a travel enthusiast who loved long drives, and a bona fide rocket scientist with Up Aerospace, developing and launching sub-orbital payload rockets. Yet, his greatest earthly joy was his family. He cherished Carolyn; his children, Donny (Lisa) and Elizabeth (Joe); and his six grandchildren: Daniel (“DJ”), Benjamin, Ellie, Tori, Marie, and Andrew.

In late 2024, Dan was diagnosed with leukemia, and faced it with courage and faith. On Friday, May 15, 2026, Dan entered into the eternal presence of Jesus.

He lived his days anchored by the truth of Lamentations 3:22-23:The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

We rejoice in a life beautifully lived, and look forward to the day we see him again.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, those who wish to honor Dan with a gift are encouraged to donate to Nehemiah Teams (https://tinyurl.com/imbnehemiah) and/or Footsteps Missions (https://www2.footstepsmissions.org/).