Daniel L. Laux

But he knows where I am going. And when he has tested me, I will be refined as pure gold - Job 23:10. It has been our privilege to witness Dan's earthly life and see how God used all circumstances, both the good and the bad, to refine his life. God orders our lives and determines the days before we are born. On May 11, 1955 Daniel Loren Laux was born in Belding, Michigan to David & Ida Mae (Sis) Laux 11 minutes after his twin Diana. The joke is that Dan, who was born breech, pushed Diana out of the womb. Dan and Diana soon had other siblings to help plan mischief on the working family farm: David (Mike), Dennis, Geralyn (Tootie), and Timothy. On the coldest day of the year, February 17, 1979, Dan was married to his college sweetheart Kathy Marie Schmidt. They were happily married for 44 years and were blessed with three daughters: Jessica Lauren, Carley Evangeline, and Kirsten Claudine. When his girls were young, people would ask "Do you wish you had a son?" And Dan would reply "Someday, I will have three." He gained three sons through his daughters' marriages: Christopher Michael Koehler, Andrew Alan Rivard, and Matt Ryan Brady. On his deathbed, he affirmed that these three men are truly his sons and rested in the confidence that they are loving husbands to his daughters and wonderful, ever-present fathers to his grandchildren: The Koehlers - Matthias Edward (Ty), Maddox Augustus, and Mitchell Kenneth; The Rivards - Adelaide Liliana, Clark Alan, Evangeline Noelle, and Bruce Christian; The Bradys - Georgia Marie, and little baby girl who is due to be born in one month's time. Dan & Kathy started their marriage in Charlotte, Michigan where Dan began work in the title insurance industry and they attended First Lutheran Church. A job change relocated the family to Rochester Hills, Michigan where Shepherd's Gate Lutheran Church became their church home. Dan enjoyed a lot of football, a little golf, biking & hiking on the trails Up North, sunsets on Lake Michigan, maintaining his yard, woodworking, and teaching the grandkids how to play euchre, cribbage, and backgammon. Dan's deepest desire for himself, and all those whom he loved, was to live a life that would step forward into closer relationship with God and that through the gospel message we would influence in a positive way the relationships we have…the relationships we need to repair…and the relationships we have yet to experience. Dan passed away on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. During his short hospital stay, he told his family that his desire was to live for Christ by being a light for his wife, children, and grandchildren. But his other option was going home to Jesus. In his own words, "He only had two good options." Dan's passing was both sudden and not. He had battled a new bout of cancer this past fall and intermittently for the past 25 years. However, he had finished his most recent cancer treatments and was enjoying time with family, looking forward to his retirement, and making travel plans with his wife Kathy. God's ways are higher than ours and God's plans are deeper than our understanding. While we do not understand God's timing, we have no doubt that God worked through Dan's life, is working now through his death, and that He is saying "Well done, good and faithful servant" to Dan right now. He will be deeply missed by his wife Kathy, daughters Jessie (Chris) Koehler, Carley (Andrew) Rivard, Kirsten (Matt) Brady and his grandchildren. He leaves behind his siblings: Diana (Steve) Whitford, Mike (Patty) Laux, Dennis (Petra) Laux, Geralyn (Rick) Barker, Timothy Laux, and his siblings through marriage: Audrey (Brian) Marsh, and Glenn (Kim) Schmidt. He was also a favorite uncle to many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents David and Ida Mae Laux, his in-laws Kenneth and Adelaide Schmidt, and his sister-in-law Connie Schmidt. A celebration of Daniel's life will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023 at the Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home 8459 Hall Road (3 Blks. E. of Van Dyke) Utica from 5-7pm. A memorial gathering and service will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at Shepherd's Gate Church 12400 23 Mile Rd. (Btwn Schoenherr and Van Dyke) Shelby Township from 10am until time of service at 11am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you send a donation to the Faith Forward campaign at Shepherd's Gate Church, where Dan was a long-time member. Below is a direct link to give. https://sgatechurch.churchcenter.com/giving/to/faith-forward-building-memorial

Daniel L. Laux

May 11, 1955 - April 26, 2023