Thursday, May 02, 2024
63.0°F

Robert "Dan" Wiley

| March 30, 2013 6:00 AM

Robert "Dan" Wiley arrived at his Heavenly destination on March 25, 2013. He was 64-years-old and made his home in Moses Lake with his loving family for more than 38 years. The relatives and friends of Dan are invited to attend a Celebration of his Life at the Moses Lake Christian and Missionary Alliance Church on Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 1 PM. Please sign the online guestbook or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel & Crematory.

He was born on April 18, 1948, in Burwell, Nebraska to Robert and Irene Wiley. He was the couple's second child. Dan has one sister, Nancy Jo Miller, of Coulee City. From a young age, he spent much of his childhood with his maternal grandparents, Wesley and Julia Reynolds.

He enlisted in the United States Navy when he was 19-years-old and spent 19 months in Vietnam. This is where perhaps the greatest love story ever began. Dan met a young Tennessean man named LeRoy Daniel and the two quickly became best friends. One day, LeRoy pulled out pictures of his four sisters back home and showed Dan. What he saw was a stunning, beautiful brunette named Betty. Dan wasted little time in asking LeRoy for permission to write to her. The two fell in love through letters. The family cherishes pictures of a young Dan writing letters, undoubtedly to Betty, with her picture propped up beside him. When Dan returned to the states, he met Betty in person for the first time and the two were engaged that very night. It was a beautiful marriage that spanned nearly 44 years! It was, and will always continue to be, a love story that inspires everyone who hears it.

He founded American Tax Service in 1986 and that kept him busy during the tax season. This is also where many people came to find out who "Dan the Tax Man" was. He loved meeting new people and genuinely cared about them. He was extremely proud that he and his son Troy have made the business as successful as it is to this day and that legacy will continue.

He had a great love and passion for the Second Amendment. He was the Chairman of the Moses Lake Friends of the NRA and took great pride in that. One could often find him at the Ephrata shooting range, where he loved to test the performance of the bullets that he spent hours reloading in his garage-he loved to shoot. He loved going to Wyoming with his sons, grandsons and dear friend Dave Helms to hunt for antelope. He also enjoyed watching sports with his family, listening to Gospel music, swimming in the family pool, and watching Nebraska Cornhuskers' football.

He was a Patriot who loved our great country, a Vietnam War veteran, successful businessman, a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend-for everything he loved, above all, was his family. He lived his life to the fullest and set an amazing example for his children to follow.

Dan is survived by his loving wife Betty, daughter Tammy Stevens (married to Pat) Stevens of Moses Lake, daughter Lori Cole (married to Jason) of Warden, son Troy Wiley (married to Jana) of Moses Lake, and son Robbie Wiley (married to Jamie) of Pasco. His loving children gave him one of the greatest joys of his life-granddaughters Kaitlyn and Taylor and grandsons Brandon, Jared, Brayden, Noah, Jacob and Jack. He passed on his loving and tender heart to each of his family members and for that, we are all eternally grateful and we cannot wait to see him again.

Donations if desired may be made to the Moses Lake Friends of the NRA.

https://www.friendsofnra.org/donate/donate.aspx