Dan Gooley

Dan Gooley, 40, of Bloomington, died tragically on November 4, 2022 after losing his fierce battle with the disease of addiction. Dan was born April 2, 1982 in Bloomington to proud parents M. Stephen Gooley and Cynthia Clapham, and welcomed by his loving older sister, Samantha (Gooley) Ridge. Dan had an enormous heart and incredibly generous spirit, often giving of himself before giving to himself. He fed and sheltered two house cats, multiple feral cats, families of raccoons and skunks, deer, and birds at his beloved wooded home. Dan spent hours of his rare free time ensuring that his friends and loved ones were doing okay, whether he was or not. Dan was the Administrator for Valhalla Cemetery for 5 years, and took immense pride and pleasure in doing a good job. He worked overtime nearly every week to ensure that the process bereaved families went through was as smooth as possible. Dan formed close friendships and connections with colleagues, pushing himself to work hard and not let his team down. Even when seriously injured, he drove himself to work every day to be there for his work family. Dan was a total "car guy," having begun his love with Matchbox cars as a kid and graduating to the real thing: he had four cars but his true love was his restored Nissan Z. Just weeks ago, Dan had delighted in telling family how the Z was running again and he had driven it around town. Dan also loved anything bright and appealing: home lighting, flashy cars, and things that shined. His dad jokingly called him a crow, drawn to bright objects. He had purchased his own home several years ago, as a fixer-upper, and spent hours working on renovation. Dan prided himself on keeping a clean home, with a place for everything and everything in its place. He enjoyed yard work, and found mowing to be a relaxing chore. Dan was a beloved son, calling his dad every day until his death this past June, and talking with his mom every morning on her daily walks. He was uniquely thoughtful, coming up with singular gifts each Christmas for his parents, sister, and niece and nephew. He was a funny uncle who made his niece Vanessa and nephew Mason laugh from the time they were little. Dan was so proud to hear that Vanessa had been accepted to IU and happy she'd be in Bloomington. Dan was the stereotypical little brother who drove his sister crazy when young, and who made every event a thousand times better when they were adults. His sense of humor will never be replaced and the world is less bright for losing his laughter. Dan was preceded in death by his father, Steve Gooley and stepmother T. Kathy Gooley. He is survived by his mother, Cynthia Clapham, sister Samantha Ridge, brother-in-law John Ridge, nieces Vanessa Ridge, Brittany Wildman, nephew Mason Ridge, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. Dan's desire was to help animals and people in need and he often gave more than he could - of his time, energy, and resources. In Dan's honor, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, those who wish, please donate to Amethyst House or Pets Alive. We want everyone to know that Dan's death was a tragic mistake. He loved his job and his co-workers. He loved his family and his friends and spent countless hours helping and caring. He was looking forward to taking classes again at IU, remodeling his house, working on his car, and spending time with his friends and family. He had been healthy and doing well for years; recently he was in emotional and serious physical pain and only wanted to feel a little better on a Friday night. Please understand that one bad choice can cost a life. He never knew what was in the substance he took. This can happen to anyone who buys an illegal/unregulated drug. Until November 4, this tragic outcome had happened to strangers - last week it happened to Dan. It robbed us of our son, brother, nephew, uncle, colleague, mentor, and friend. Please don't let it happen to you and please seek help for yourself or a loved one who is struggling with addiction of any kind. Services will be held at Allen Funeral Home and Crematory, 4155 South Old State Road 37, Bloomington, on Saturday, December 10th from 11:00AM to 1:00PM.

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Dan Gooley

April 2, 1982 - November 4, 2022