Daniel Edwin Everist, Sr. 96, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2026. Born on February 5, 1929, in Sioux City, Iowa, Dan was the beloved seventh child of Hubert H. Everist, Sr. and Julia Green Everist.

Dan’s early years were shaped by a strong foundation in education and community. He attended Blessed Sacrament Elementary School, Canterbury Prep School and Central High School. His academic promise carried him across the country to Stanford University, where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering.

In the same momentous week in 1951 he graduated from Stanford; married the love of his life (and kindergarten sweetheart), Mary Louise Wadden; and began his service to the nation by joining the United States Air Force. After two years of dedicated service, Dan transitioned to a distinguished career in civil engineering, including Professional Engineer certification, with Western Contracting Corporation.

Dan’s career took him to major construction projects across the United States, leaving a lasting legacy on some of the nation’s most significant infrastructure. Among the notable projects he supervised were expansions at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia; the construction of the Big Bend Dam in Chamberlain, South Dakota; and work on the Mirdan Canal in Burwell, Nebraska.

Throughout his life, Dan was a devoted husband and an extraordinary father. Together, Dan and Mary raised eight children, instilling in them values of integrity, hard work, and compassion. Despite a career that spanned the country, Sioux City always remained home, and Dan and Mary were active members of their community.

Dan found joy in the simple pleasures of life: a good round of golf, lively games of Pitch and the treasured tradition of Saturday night dances at the Sioux City Country Club — where memories were made, friendships were deepened, and laughter was abundant. In later years he and Mary travelled the world, hiking Machu Picchu, exploring the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, and going on Safari in the Masai Mara in Kenya (among many other adventures).

Dan is remembered not only for his professional achievements but for his deep spiritual devotion, his generosity, his warmth, and his unwavering love for family and friends. Dan’s legacy lives on in the hearts of those who knew him and the infrastructure that stands as a testament to his life’s work.

Dan is preceded in death by his parents, Hubert and Julia Everist, his beloved wife Mary Louise (2007), his six siblings, son-in-law John Romeo (2025), and grandsons Patrick Romeo (2023) and Damon Doherty (2022). Left to cherish his memory are his children: Elizabeth Romeo, Sarah, MaryPat, Daniel, Jr. (Juliet), James, Andrew (Donna), Luke (Mary), and Teresa Delfs (William). His legacy is also carried forward by his 38 grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren and a wide circle of family and friends who will forever preserve his memory and honor his remarkable life and the profound impact he had on all who knew him.

A private burial will be held in Sioux City.