October 9 2019: DATO, Daniel P.

 

DANIEL PETER DATO (age 94)

1925 – 2019

Daniel Dato, 94, died peacefully on Sunday October 6, 2019 in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Daniel was born in Hoboken, New Jersey surrounded by a strong Italian community speaking both English and Italian.  As a child he worked in the family-owned butcher shop alongside his older brother Tony, mother Louise, and father Carmine. He enjoyed regaling funny stories about the shenanigans behind the counter and the people who shopped there.  It was also his responsibility to help move tenants in and out of their family-owned apartment building while his sisters Faustina, Mary and Phyllis helped with its maintenance.  In this community he learned the value of hard work, good food & people and the passionate Italian Culture that he embraced throughout his life.  His love of languages and learning was born!

At the young age of 18, “Danny” enlisted in the Navy where he achieved the rank of Radioman Second Class and served during World War II on the USS Kephart (DE 207).  Surviving Kamikaze attacks and the Battle of Ormack Bay he returned home in 1946.   As a Veteran he continued his education, achieving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Arts & Sciences from Rutgers University in 1951, a Master of Arts Degree in Latin from Middlebury College in 1952, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Cornell University in 1959 where he managed to both realize his PhD AND court his wife “Ginny.”

Daniel had many accomplishments in his long career.  As a Professor at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, he impassioned his students in the academia of Neurolinguistics (how the brain acquires language).  Other points in his career included research, writing and teaching at Universities and Colleges nationally and internationally.  Middlebury, NY, San Francisco, CA, Albuquerque, NM, Rockville, MD, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan to name a few.

His love of learning and languages drove him to interesting places where his ability to combine creativity with scientific research highlighted his uniqueness.  Living two years in Spain, Daniel, his wife Ginny, and their children Michael and Gina all participated in his groundbreaking study on second language acquisition in children.  This resulted in authoring several publications, which are still recognized in Certification Programs today – some 50 years later.

Daniel continued his pursuit of knowledge with additional degrees and certificates as he and Ginny raised their family together in Rockville, MD. He received a Fellowship in Pediatrics-Hearing and Speech from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Master of Arts Degree from George Washington University.  Bestowed with the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Pathology from the American Speech and Hearing Association he became a Board Certified Speech Pathologist and began his second career.  He and his wife founded the non-profit organization Bilingual Language Speech and Hearing Association (BiLasha) and the publishing company Bilingual Communications, Inc. (Bicomm).  As President of these organizations and engaging his wife and three children in the process, he produced materials that assisted Speech Pathologists and language learners in standardizing their English Language.  Dr. Dato was well loved by his University Students, workshop participants, and clients as they loved his methods incorporating language and culture with learning – often as dinner guests in the family home in Rockville, MD.

Daniel loved his parents and siblings and grieved each one‘s passing before him while continuing to shine his light in pursuit of excellence. After 41 years of marriage and grieving the 2001 death of his loving wife, he returned his focus to living a life filled with music, learning, and companionship.  Knowing that he wanted to meet an Italian woman who shared his love of music, Italian culture and food, he entrenched himself in learning to play piano and developing a new program, Italian for Opera Lovers.  A successful plan, this is where he met the second love of his life Eleanor DePolo.  As companions, they shared 15 years of love, laughter and fun!

Now an Elder, Dan developed enriching relationships at his new community in Silver Spring, Maryland. Riderwood was chosen for its international residents and staff so he could continue communicating in Italian, French, Spanish, and English within its diverse culture.  He became close with many of his aides who assisted him during injury recovery and his declining health. His relationships with his son Michael and daughter Gina became even richer as the parent/child roles of care giving reversed.

Daniel was devoted to his wife and children, and succeeded in instilling his most passionate Italian traditions: family business, music and language, food, love, and family. His memory is etched in the lives and memories of his family; wife the Late Mary Virginia McClaren Dato, children; the Late Michael Dato (Leslie), Gina Dols (Stuart) and Anna Maria Dato (Mark); and his grandchildren Stephanie, Chase & Sydney Dato and Amanda, Angela, and Anthony Dols.

Mass of Christian Burial at Church of the Resurrection at Riderwood Village, 3110 Gracefield Road, Silver Spring, MD on Friday, October 11, at 2 p.m. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, NJ on Saturday, October 12 at 11:45 a.m. Reception to follow. Memorial contributions may be made to Strathmore Hall Foundation in memory of Daniel Dato, Attention The Development Office, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, N. Bethesda, MD 20852 or online at www.strathmore.org.

 

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