Favorite memory is chatting with him at Tucson about his green opal beads, which were unforgettably beautiful.
The first time I met him I was knocked out with the quality of his opal beads. He had on a strand he’d been wearing for years. Danny was an inspiration to many lapidary workers and one of the first Americans to import Chinese turquoise.
You just posted this link (arguably the best Christmas gift I got this year...) which is for Danny such a tremendously loving and respectful farewell, as only those deserving it can trigger.
Here is a nice pic of Suzi, Thomas Stricker and Danny, courtesy of Joyce.
I first had contact with Danny way back in the late 1990s, when I was thinking of doing my own lapidary work on stone beads. I purchased diamond grit drill bits from Danny's lapidary supply business. When I met him in person maybe 10 years later, I searched my memory banks and realized that this was the same Danny that sold me the bits and encouraged me to set up and drill stones of various sorts. I never really got to that point and I still have most of those diamond bits.
Danny and Suzi were enthusiastic about making, collecting, and selling beads, and hosted some highly interesting "bead people" dinners at Tucson during the what we will now recall as the hey-days of the Tucson gem & mineral (and bead!) shows in the 00's and 10's. It was an honor to be included in several of these sessions.
Some of my last communiques with Danny were tips that I requested for polishing beads, as well as details for his short report to The Bead Forum on turquoise from Chinese mines. And I was hoping this year would be the year he would return to Tucson so I could say hello and thank him in person.
RIP Danny and his beloved Suzi!
I miss him already. We carried on for years. He changed my whole approach to lapidary in the 90s and we became great friends. Every couple of months we would have a long talk on the phone and catch up on life.
His work both in lapidary beads and in silver jewelry was both unique and precision. No one could see his work and not come away amazed. His knowledge of stone was encyclopedic and his ability to work it sublime. He was gentle and always ready to share techniques with anyone interested. The world has lost a creatiive giant. He is with his beloved Suzi again, and I will take my comfort in his loss with that.
I recall visiting Danny & Suzi many years ago somewhere southwest of Gallup and later on many interesting comments archived on this very website. Some of the players were uncompromising in their opinions and Danny and I were both in there too. I admired his experience and uncompromising excellence in the work he accomplished. A unique and crusty character harder to find in the 'Brave Knew Whorled' we currently inhabit. This archive including his posts is a valuable historical document I hope survives into the future. Seeing again the thread about “Birds”, a subject of particular interest was fun to see after some 23 + years later was interesting. Also a reminder of how etherial time is as well as how dependable contributions by people like Will were during that time. Interesting personalities & memories. Thanks!
Reminded me of more than a few conversations with Danny. He was one of a kind for sure. He gifted me this piece of gem grade he brought back with his first batch from China in the early 90s. He had a shoebox full of snapshots from that trip to the mine.
In recent years I had several online conversations with Danny, at Facebook--about turquoise and "turquoise" beads I have seen and bought (also online). His council was always very helpful. I'm glad I have known Danny and Suzi, for the few short years we were connected. I admire Suzi's work with bead-weaving too. I have harvested every page from their online site for my archives.
My last conversation with Danny was about the book he was planning to produce. I'm sure it would have been great. So much potential.
Rest In Peace together, you two.
I never had the privilege to meet Danny, but I read and re-read his BCN posts over the years and stared at his wonderful beads in awe. I hope he enjoyed his life and may his love and knowledge of beads passed on to his friends, end up into new friendships. May he rest in peace.
