I received this email today\u201d \u201cDear Friends of Dan Gaude,\u00a0\u00a0 I am Dan’s cousin and,\u00a0it is with the greatest sadness that I inform you of Dan’s passing.\u00a0 I’m sure that some of you have already heard of this; if you have not: Dan passed away suddenly on May 19th.\u00a0We\u2019ve organized a memorial gathering from 9:30 to 10:00 A.M. at Aycock Funeral Home, 1112 Military Trail, Jupiter; a brief memorial service will follow at 10:00.\u00a0 You are all invited to attend. I replied. \u201cDanny and I kind of grew up together.\u00a0 Dan\u2019s mom was a friend of my parents, and\u00a0she and Danny\u00a0lived with us in Hialeah in the 50’s.\u00a0 Dottie babysat my brother Bobby and me, and Danny probably just caused trouble .\u00a0 I’m 56 now, twelve years younger than Danny, so when I was 4 and he was 16, I was\u00a0the little sister.\u00a0 Danny and my dad bought property next to each other in the Everglades in the 60’s and 70’s and were great friends until my dad passed in 1987.\u00a0 My brother passed in 1976, my mom in 1996, and Danny and I\u00a0felt like\u00a0brother and sister.\u00a0We talked on the phone every few months to catch up. Danny and Dottie would often go camping with us and that was always so fun.\u00a0 My parents raised ocelots (like small leopards) and we’d bring them to the campground and they’d\u00a0draw a lot of attention.\u00a0 Danny and my dad always took advantage of that and had the cats put on a little show for everyone.\u00a0 Danny was always the cut up and always had a quick remark.\u00a0 And those corny email jokes he would forward to us all , now I will miss them. He was loved and will be missed.\u00a0 I am glad to stay connected to ‘family’.\u00a0 I will see you Saturday morning.”<\/p>\n