Daniel Vincent Direnzo

Published in Courier-Post on September 9, 2009

DIRENZO, Daniel Vincent Of Albrightsville, Pennsylvania (Formerly of Cherry Hill, New Jersey).

Daniel was born July 29, 1926 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, the oldest of four siblings. He is survived by his wife, Doris, his sons and daughters-in-law; Daniel Jr. and Lisa Direnzo and Wayne and Anne Direnzo, and his daughters and sons-in-law; Beth and Paul Lee and Jennifer and Robert Leimkuhler.

He is also survived by his grandchildren; Daniel III, Jaclyn, Laura (Rich), Christine, Nicholas, Dana, J.D., Leah, Tucker, Connor, Morgan, Lillian and Clara. Dan was also very close to his many nieces & nephews. "Big Dan" was larger than life.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps at 17. When he came home, he played semi-pro football for the Tasker Bears in South Philadelphia and was drafted and played professional football for the Philadelphia Eagles and professional baseball for the Boston Red Sox. He stayed on with the Eagles and was a member of the 1948 and 1949 World Championship teams.

Dan proudly served as Vice President of the Philadelphia Eagles Alumni Association for many years.

Dan joined Miller Brewing Company and was a member of the team that developed Miller Lite. He rose in the ranks to become Regional Sales Manager, based in New York City. He left Miller for Clement and Muller in 1977 and had a long and distinguished career selling the product that he helped create.

Despite his athletic and professional accomplishments, the most important thing to "Big Dan" was his family. He was happiest in his lakeside home in the Poconos, surrounded by his children and grandchildren, and that was exactly how he spent his last days.

There will be a visitation on Saturday, September 12th from 9:00-11:00AM, with a Mass to follow at Christ Our Light Church, 402 North Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, New Jersey.