Obituary of Dan J. Galbraith

Dan Galbraith, age 56 of Wayzata, unexpectedly passed away on January 21, 2022. He is preceded in death by his parents Bill and Jane Galbraith and survived by sons Cole and Brady, sisters Alison and Laura, long-time partner Mary, ex-wife and mother of his sons Heidi, niece/nephews Maya, Carter, Wil, Lincoln, and Truman, and Mary’s children Nick and Lexi. Dan was born and raised in South Minneapolis, graduated from Washburn High School, and spent his life in the Twin Cities. Dan devoted his entire life to bettering the lives of those around him. He was a loving and devoted husband, partner, father, and friend who always gleamed as a beacon of love, righteousness, and strength. Dan took great care in teaching the joy found in everyday life and instilled that value into his children and everyone around him. Dan was a talented technical engineer and a cherished salesperson for almost 30 years, the last 20 with Network Design, Incorporated (NDI). He is considered one of the best in the technology industry and highly respected by clients, peers, competitors, and partners. Dan’s business acumen and highly ethical approach to everything he did inspire others to be better. He was a leader with a reputation for focusing on relationships and always doing things the right way the first time. Dan took tremendous pride in his work and had the added joy of working with his son Brady over the past few years. One of Dan’s great passions was the enjoyment of sports and the relationships and lessons they created. He was a consummate coach, teammate, and athlete and spent his entire life playing with and mentoring those he loved. He found great joy in playing soccer, broomball, football, pickleball, and anything else he possibly could. Dan’s curiosity and infectious thirst for knowledge instilled a desire to travel and explore the world. He loved hiking, biking, spending time in nature, and exploring towns while learning about their history and culture. While not a foodie, Dan savored ethnic food and great venues. His favorite part of traveling was to get off the beaten path, away from tourists, and interact with local people to converse and debate. He especially loved traveling internationally alongside his beloved partner Mary. Music was another lifelong passion of Dan’s. His love and appreciation for music followed him wherever he went, whether it was working as a DJ as a young man, playing guitar and piano, quizzing others on music trivia, or playing Bruce Springsteen on a Sunday morning. That influence extended beyond Dan to his loved ones and continues to be an integral part of their lives. Over the past few years, Dan shifted his focus to prepare for retirement because he felt it was imperative to continue giving back to the community. Dan cherished his Planning for a Purpose comrades, his role on the LARC (Lynnhurst Area Recreation Council) Board, educating people on redlining in Minneapolis, and fighting prejudice. He considered himself socially liberal and fiscally conservative, and passionately debated hot topics. Dan advocated for women, animals, civil rights, and education throughout his lifetime and was looking forward to investing his time focusing on issues he fought so passionately for. Dan touched many, many people in his time and will be missed as a father, partner, brother, ex-husband, uncle, friend, colleague, mentor, coach, volunteer, philanthropist, confidant, pillar of strength, and as the perfect role model. He would have wanted us to embody the way he lived his life: to the absolute fullest and for the betterment of all. Please take your time to mourn his passing, but more importantly, incorporate the passion with which he lived his life into yours. That’s exactly how he would’ve wanted to be honored. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 12, 2022 from Noon - 3:00 pm, with a 1:00 pm Eulogy at the Cremation Society of MN, 7110 France Ave S, Edina, MN 55435. Masks required. In lieu of flowers, please honor Dan with a donation to a charity of your choice. The Eulogy will be available online in real time in anticipation of a large crowd and COVID concerns. A link to this stream will be provided in the online Star Trib comments of this obituary in the days before the funeral.