Daniel P. Hornbogen

Daniel Powell Hornbogen, Jr., 90, passed away Wednesday, December 20, surrounded by his wife and children at his home.

Born on April 8, 1927 to Dr. Daniel Powell Hornbogen, Sr. and Katherine (Barnes) Hornbogen, Dan led an eclectic life. A life-long car enthusiast, he bought his first Model-T with the earnings from his “Saturday Evening Post” delivery route at the age of 13. Dan referred to himself as a “Broker of Surface Transportation”– he bought and sold Studebakers, Edsels, Packards and International Harvester Scouts as well as used cars of every make and model. He was the Chrysler Plymouth dealer during the heyday of the “muscle cars” like Roadrunners, GTX’s, Superbirds, and the Barracuda, one of which, a 1971 purple convertible with side pipes, still graces his garage.

Dan was avid downhill skier and part of the original group who created Cliffs Ridge, now Marquette Mountain. He took up marathon running, cross-country skiing and trail building. From his home overlooking Partridge Bay at Middle Island Point in Marquette, he taught himself how to cross-country ski. In 1995, after skiing the ice shelves of Lake Superior, camping on the Mulligan Plains in -20 degree weather, and learning to work with sled dogs, he joined the North Pole Expedition. At the age of 69, Dan skied with the Expedition from Resolute Bay, Canada to the North Pole over the course of three weeks as the team’s navigator and one of the dog handlers.

He loved working in the woods and was the driving force behind many of the marked hiking trails around Sugar Loaf and Hog Back Mountains. At Middle Island Point, Dan blazed and cleared hiking and cross-country ski trails through the diverse terrain including Partridge Island.

At different points in his life, Dan was a member of the Elks, the Economic Club, Rotary and North Country Trails. He sat on the Marquette County Conservation District and the Marquette Regional History Center boards. His favorite was the Middle Island Point Camper’s Association board where he served as president for 25 years and was an active member until his death.

In 1953, Dan married Jacquelyn Fritz and they had five children: Susan, Diana, Daniel III, Fritz and Peter.

Dan and Mary (Parent) LeTrent were married in 1983 and he added a stepdaughter, Chauntel, to his family.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Hornbogen; daughters, Susan (Kurt Simandl) Hornbogen, Diana Hornbogen, Chauntel (Paul) Tiziani; sons, Fritz (Teresa) Hornbogen and Peter (Cathi) Hornbogen, and his sister, Sally (Michael Carlisle) Peterson. Son, Daniel Powell III walked on in 1998.

Also included in his ‘tribe’ as he called them are his grandchildren: Danielle Simandl, Erik (Megan) Hornbogen, Kate (Mike) Young, and Max Hornbogen, Kathryn Hornbogen, Charles, Alexandra, Kitt and Caitlyn Hornbogen, Alexis, Dylan and Jackson Mahler.

In spite of the hardships and heartaches that occurred in his life, Dan showed us how to persevere with love and humor.

A celebration of Dan’s life will take place on Saturday, December 30th from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Canale-Tonella Funeral Home in Marquette where there will be food, fellowship and sharing of memories.

Memorials can be made to the Marquette Regional History Center, 142 W. Spring St., Marquette, MI 49855, the Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St., Marquette, MI 49855, Lake Superior Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette, MI 49855 or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Dan’s obituary can also be viewed at canalefuneral.com where relatives and friends may leave a note of remembrance. Obituary photo credit by Tom Buchkoe.