Danielle “Dani” Karl, RN, CGRN, EMT/RA, Wife, Mother, Nurse, baker, quilter, gardener, volunteer, and just all round wonderful person.
Dani was born Danielle Louise Dugan in 1944 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Her parents, John and Mildred Dugan, lifelong residents of Pittsburgh, passed away in 2002. She had three siblings, John (Jack) Dugan, deceased, Janet Schuda of Philadelphia, PA, and Joann Weingard of Pittsburgh, PA.
Dani graduated from West Mifflin North High School, Pittsburgh, PA in 1962. She enrolled in the Nursing Program at Braddock General Hospital School of Nursing,
Braddock, PA, and completed her studies there in 1965. She obtained her Pennsylvania Nursing License as an RN in 1966. Dani married Charles “Chuck” Karl in 1965, after their meeting on a blind date just six months earlier. Soon after the wedding, the newlyweds moved to Norfolk, VA. Chuck was in the US Navy and Dani started her new nursing career at DePaul Hospital in Norfolk, VA. She worked there for 2 years as a float pool nurse. When Chuck left active duty in 1967, they moved back to Pittsburgh, and Dani worked as a private duty nurse. After three years, she went to work at Jeannette District Memorial Hospital on the Medical-Surgical floor. Seven years later they were off to a new adventure, a promotion for Chuck moved the family to Manassas, VA. Now they had two young children, Jennifer and Charles, to bring along. Their stay in Manassas, VA lasted for 35 years. During that time, both children graduated from high school and college, which she is very proud of.
For five years after moving to Manassas, Dani was a stay-at-home Mom raising the children. When both children started elementary school, she went to work on night shift on the Medical-Surgical floor at Prince William Hospital. She then moved to the Special Procedures/Endoscopy unit and obtained her Certified Gastroenterology Registered Nurse Certification. She was the Prince William Hospital support group leader for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation for 10 years, during which she held seminars, provided information and support, and discussed questions and issues with patients and the public. For four years in the mid 2000s, she ran the capsule endoscopy effort at Prince William Hospital. She worked for Prince William Hospital for more than 30 years. She retired in 2012.
Their children had established their lives. Their daughter was still in southwest Virginia and their son was in western Florida. Having travelled and visited in both areas (and many locations in between), and knowing it was their son’s intention to eventually move back to Virginia, they started looking for a place to retire. After checking out North and South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky, it was southwest Virginia that caught their eye. That happy wandering took over ten years, during which the motorcycling bug bit them. They bought a Honda Gold Wing, then a second one and had it “triked.” It was a wonderful way to enjoy the “search” for their future home. They left Manassas and settled in the Roanoke, VA area near their daughter. Their son eventually moved back to the same area.
After being in their new home a few months, they responded to a mailer from the local volunteer fire department and rescue squad asking for either donations or help. They joined and have worked as volunteers in different capacities since 2012. They often joked “we should have sent money,” but really never meant it. She and her husband, Chuck, obtained their EMT/NR certification and ran rescue calls for the Blue Ridge Volunteer Rescue Squad for 8 years.
She has enjoyed the outdoors with gardening and has maintained both vegetable and flower gardens. She especially loved her roses. She enjoyed trying to identify the many birds on her birdfeeders, but watching the hummingbirds flit around was what she enjoyed most. Other pastimes she enjoyed are reading (Stephen King is high on her list of favorites), quilting with her husband, and doting on their German Shorthaired Pointers (5 owned, 3 of those rescued). She enjoyed going to Bluegrass music concerts, and motorcycle rides to find new places for a distant lunch, dinner or weekend outing. She and Chuck have put more than 125,000 miles on their “bikes,” visiting all the states east of the Mississippi. They have also pedaled their three-wheeled bicycles on the greenways around southwest Virginia. In the past 8 years they bought a class c motor home and had fun camping with the family.
She and Chuck have been active members of many different organizations. She was a member of and is the past President of the Regional Chapter of the Society of Gastroenterological Nursing Association. With the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA), they started as members and were promoted to Assistant Directors and then Directors. They were also Chapter, District and State Couple of the Year with GWRRA. With the local volunteer rescue squad, they have been members, EMTs, Secretary, Chief, Vice President, and President. Dani has made many friends in her travels and jobs.
But, most proud for Dani is her title of Bana. To those of you who wonder “what’s that?” That’s “Gramma.” She always wanted to be called Nana, but when Bana came from her new granddaughter, she accepted it with pride.
Dani and Chuck have been married for 58 years. When asked “How do you do that?” Chuck jokingly responds, “It’s Dani’s fault, she is just too stubborn to give up on me.” But, he’s so glad (and proud) that it’s true!
To those of you who have read this far, we thank you for caring enough to find out more of the wonderful, wonderful person we love. The world will be a sad place for us without her, and we already miss her dearly. We hope your memories of her are as good as ours. Bana, may God speed you to Heaven. You deserve it!
The family will receive friends on Saturday, April 6, 2024 from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. at Oakey’s East Chapel with a Nightingale Tribute for Nurses at 2 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 9 a.m. at The Church of the Transfiguration with Father Paul Lagco officiating.
Arrangements by Oakey’s East Chapel and Crematory, 540-977-3909.
