Daniel R. Jaracz

Daniel R. Jaracz, age 73, of Methuen, MA, passed away peacefully on Sunday April 4, 2021, after a courageous battle with brain cancer, surrounded by his loving family. Born on July 5, 1947 in Carnegie, PA, the son of Anthony J. and Helen E. (Okrutny) Jaracz and the beloved husband of Arleen (Cook) Jaracz, with whom he shared fifty-two wonderful years of marriage. In addition to his wife, Daniel is also survived by his children, Matthew Jaracz of Methuen, MA, and Mallory (Jaracz) Callinan and her husband Michael of Methuen, MA.

Reflective of his fighting spirit, Daniel was proud of his standing as one of only ten percent (of those diagnosed with glioblastoma) to stave off the disease for four-plus years. Beyond his resiliency and toughness, Dan was also quite the scholar with an impassioned thirst for knowledge. After graduating from Carnegie High School, he received his undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University and later his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Daniel met Arleen in middle school, and they went on to become high school sweethearts. They first settled in Carnegie, PA and then moved many places together before settling down in Andover, MA.
In retirement, Dan and Arleen enjoyed a bit of traveling and immersing themselves into many social activities. It was when they moved to the Regency at Methuen (RAM) that Dan became involved on the board and helped bring people together to foster a close-knit community. RAM is a place that Dan and Arleen revered to the point where Dan would often quip that it could never be duplicated elsewhere. From the beautiful landscaping to the amazing people and the relationships that grew from spending time with one another, this place instilled a sense of pride in Dan. So much so that his contributions to the board and the community brought him the opportunity to serve as Board President. More recently, Dan became a member of the Men’s Breakfast Club and the conversation and camaraderie that he shared with his buddies was one of his greatest joys every month. As a man of faith, Dan was always very active in his church, St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Andover, and he was grateful that he was able to participate even more in his retirement.

Over the years, Dan developed many great passions in life. An avid sports fan, he enjoyed watching the Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team of his youth. He enjoyed playing tennis and skiing whenever he got a chance, and perhaps his greatest joy came in attending his children’s sporting events. He would often remark that one of the wisest things he and Arleen did was creating an annual tradition of family ski trips to Smugglers Notch in Vermont, a tradition that has carried on for thirty years. Family meant everything to Dan and he always felt that any time spent with family was time well spent.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to visit with Daniel’s family between the hours of 4:00 PM –7:00 PM on Friday, April 9, 2021 at Cataudella Funeral Home, 126 Pleasant Valley Street, Methuen, MA 01844.  A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, 198 Haggetts Pond Road, Andover, MA 01810.  Those attending his funeral mass are asked to go directly to church.  Donation in lieu of flowers may be made to the American Cancer Society, 3 Speen Street, Suite 250, Framingham, MA 01701 or https://donate3.cancer.org/.