Daniel Joseph Hart
March 10, 1931 – March 16, 2025
Daniel Joseph Hart, 94, of Boise, Idaho, passed away peacefully on March 16, 2025, at Foxtail SeniorLiving Memory Care Unit, with his devoted wife, Barbara, at his side. He had courageously battled Lewy Body Dementia and heart failure in his final years.
Born in Lynn, Dan was the youngest of six children of John and Florence (Burchill) Hart. At just 15 years old, with his father’s blessing, Dan enlisted in the United States Navy—a calling that would define much of his life. His love for the ocean and dedication to service led him through two world tours and a deep, lifelong connection to the sea.
Between his periods of naval service, Dan lived in numerous places that shaped his life, including Ketchum and Caldwell, Idaho; Saipan; Port Angeles, Washington; and ultimately Boise. He wore many hats over the years—waiter and lifeguard at the Sun Valley Lodge, employee at Simplot and other local firms—but his passion for justice led him to study Criminal Justice at Boise State University. This pursuit inspired a second career as a pre-sentence investigator and later a probation and parole officer for the State of Idaho.
Dan was also a gifted writer. He contributed a regular column to the Peninsula Daily News in Port Angeles and later became a self-published author with his novel, The Phantom, showcasing his vivid imagination and storytelling voice.
After retiring, Dan and Barbara settled in Port Angeles, where he found great joy in being near the ocean, surrounded by family and the serenity he always cherished.
Dan is survived by his loving wife, Barbara R. Hart; his brother-in-law, Bruce Belcher; and his nieces and nephews: Sari Outzen-Belcher, Doug Belcher, Lucy Belcher-Hassett, AJ Belcher, and Ann Marie Edwards.
He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Catherine Susan Hart, who passed away at age 36 due to complications from childbirth. Catherine now rests in Port Angeles, WA. A
Funeral Service with full military honors will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 18, at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise. A reception will follow at Foxtail Senior Living, 3559 W. Bavaria St., Eagle, ID 83616.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in Dan’s memory to BrightFocus Foundation or to Alzheimer’s research.