Daniel Scott Decker

Horse Shoe - Daniel Scott Decker, 63, of Horse Shoe, died Sunday, April 16, 2006 after a brief illness. He was a native of Ft. Wayne, IN, but spent most of his adult life in Homewood, IL. He lived in Horse Shoe for the past three years, enjoying the beautiful natural surroundings. He is survived by his wife, Linda Boyd Decker, and his two sons: David Douglas Decker of Macomb, IL and Brian Thomas Decker of Asheville. He also has two sisters, Diane Decker Sakmyster of Cincinnati, OH and Deborah Sue Decker of Ogden, UT. He was educated at Indiana University, receiving a B.A. in Art, a M.S. in Art Education, and an Ed.D. in Art Education with a concentration in Media. He started his career as an art teacher, then he became a professor at the University of Maryland and later the Director of Media at the University of South Dakota. Finally, he joined the business community serving as personal development and management trainer for several utility companies. Throughout his life, he was an outdoor enthusiast. He was a Boy Scout who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He loved hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and was a supporter of environmental protection groups. He was also a lifelong artist, painting in both watercolors and acrylics, making pottery, designing stained glass, and working in photography. However, his greatest skill was the ability to make friends with everyone he met. In lieu of a memorial service, the family asks that friends and relatives commit their thoughts and stories about Dan to writing and send them to Diane Sakmyster, 5716 West Fork Road, Cincinnati, OH 45247, so that she may compile a Memory Book for Linda, David and Brian. Contributions may be sent to the Sierra Club at: Sierra Club, Pisgah Group, PO Box 272, Cedar Mountain, NC 28718.