Obituary
It is with great sadness that we, his family, announce the death of Daniel Textoris.
Daniel Andrew Textoris suffered a cardiac arrest the morning of July 25 and died peacefully that evening surrounded by his entire family at the SECU Jim and Betsy Bryan Hospice Home.
He was born in Cleveland, Ohio January 19, 1936, the third child of Mary Susan Benco and Andrew Joseph Textoris. His parents joined siblings and immigrated to America from Klenovec, Slovakia in the early 1920s and were married in Cleveland. Andrew had been a POW in Siberia during WWI. There, he learned the trade of shoe repair which served him well as a lifetime career. They were active in the Slovak community and in their Slovak Lutheran church. Their first infant son, Ivan, died. Later they became parents of a daughter, Lillian, and son, Daniel. His father suffered from what we now call PTSD, and took his life when Daniel was just nine years old. His mother worked very hard and provided a loving and caring home for her children.
Daniel attended Cleveland City schools graduating from James Ford Rhodes High School, and received his BA degree from (Case) Western Reserve University, MS degree in sedimentary geology at The Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in carbonate geology from the University of Illinois. In 1965, he and his family arrived in the village of Chapel Hill where he spent his professional career, first as an Assistant Professor and later as a Full Professor. He administered a $10M NSF grant and later became Assistant Dean of Research Administration. In 1978 he worked with the Department of Energy in Washington, DC. He has published extensively including his research on carbonate petrology, sedimentary diagenesis, origin of sedimentary cherts, petrology of Castle Hayne Limestone, and Triassic rift basin rocks. He was faculty advisor to many, many UNC geology students. He consulted and served on numerous geological committees, including Chairman Board of Directors Oak Ridge Associated Universities. After retiring, he served on the OWASA Board, and Animal Protection Society and International Visitors Center, and continued as an Usher at Binkley Baptist Church.
Along with loving and caring for his human family, all his life he loved his dogs, especially the succession of 4 rescued Great Danes. Additionally, we must add his love for dark chocolate!
The family served as hosts to UNC students from all over the world. This was a most rewarding and enriching experience for each family member. We remain connected to our friends around the world.
In 1959 he married his college sweetheart student nurse Linda Anne Keep in Meadville, PA., who stood by his side through 64 wonderful years of devoted love and commitment. They are proud parents of Steven Daniel Textoris of Reston, VA, James Edwin Textoris (Barbara Burroughs) Southport, N.C. and Ann Elizabeth Textoris Jacobs (Scott) of Savannah, GA. He cherished his 5 grandchildren, Zoe Alexandra (Broderick Koch) and Sophia Danielle Textoris, Andrew James Textoris, and Grace Marienka and Lindsey Keep Jacobs.
We have all enjoyed so many trips to other countries-learning their ways and culture, time away in our mountain log cabin, and just days before his death, our annual Textoris pilgrimage to Sunset Beach.
He was predeceased by his parents, brother Ivan, his brother-in-law William Toennies, two nieces Wendy and Brittany Toennies. Along with his immediate family, he is survived by his sister Lillian Toennies and her children, grandchildren and great granddaughters.
Donations may be given to Binkley Church Pastor Fund, Habitat for Humanity Weavers Grove or your favorite charity.
A Celebration of his Life is planned for August 19 at 2:00 p.m. at Binkley Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C. The event will be livestreamed at https://youtube.com/live/8r9AhGuLRZA?feature=share
Aquamation services provided by Endswell Aquamation. For full obituary with additional photos, please visit https://endswellfuneralhome.com/in-memoriam/daniel-andrew-textoris/
