It is with heavy hearts, that the Dorazio and Caroglanian families announce the passing of their beloved Daniel Joseph Dorazio. Recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Coach Dan battled this aggressive form of cancer to the end. His short battle concluded with his passing peacefully on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 when he executed his final and most important game plan – a one way ticket to Heaven – to be with God and his loved ones.
Born in Wilkensburg, Pennsylvania on January 22, 1952 to his predeceased parents Joseph & Helen (Kramer) Dorazio, Dan spent his formidable years growing up in Pittsburgh. A no-nonsense man, Dan attacked his work as he lived his life. Never wasting time he pursued his goals and dreams with excellence. He was a voracious note taker who always chronicled his daily activities. The consummate planner, Dan never left a stone unturned maximizing every minute of every day.
No surprise to friends and family, Dan loved sports and most notably the Pittsburgh Pirates (baseball). He loved Roberto Clemente and recanted countless times baseball stories. Most particularly he loved sharing stories of attending baseball games and his Dad dropping him off on the corner at the stadium to watch his favorite team play. During his adult years he would joyfully listen to the play-by-play replay of the 1960s Pirates World Series. He could recite – almost word for word – the moments leading up to Bill Mazeroski’s memorable walk off home run as he relived his childhood.
Dan’s attention to details, his ability to focus and his passion for all his interests never wavered. He had a photographic memory and often detailed events of forgotten moments. A gentleman to the end, Dan was best known for his smiles and straightforwardness. He had the uncanny ability to make you feel like you were the most important person in his life and indeed you were.
His family relocated to Stow, Ohio where he attended Stow High School. He attended university at Kent State University where he was awarded a teaching certificate on September 1, 1974 in health and physical education. Dan played football at Kent State University and used that “teaching certificate” as he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant (GA) under the tutelage of Coach Don James.
It was at Kent that his playing days ended and his football coaching career began. He was famous for his “teach” moments. Ever the technician, Dan’s players knew all too well the drilling of the basic techniques imparted to them in his regular teachings. If you had a dime for every time he bellowed “eyes eyes eyes” you would be wealthy.
From there Dan continued coaching in the NCAA at the University of Hawaii, San Jose State, University of Washington, Northern Iowa, Georgia Tech, College of the Holy Cross, University of Maryland and
Boston University before moving to Calgary, Alberta Canada in 1998 and joining the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Calgary Stampeders.
As a rookie coach in the CFL, Dan coached and won his first Grey Cup in 1998. With repeat performances in 1999 and 2001, Dan enjoyed two Grey Cup wins in three appearances (1999 and 2001).
From Calgary, Dan moved to British Columbia in 2003 to join the BC Lions organization. Dan remains the longest tenured assistant coach to work alongside the legendary and CFL Hall of Fame Coach Wally Buono whose friendship and loyalty endured in his final days. Fidelity trickled down from coaches to players.
During his time with the BC Lions Football Club, Dan enjoyed three additional Grey Cup appearances (2004, 2006, and 2011) and two more championships (2006 and 2011) to round off his CFL career with four wins in six attempts.
Dan coached alongside infamous coaches in the CFL – too many to mention – though the one true constant in assistant coaches was his dear friend Jacques Chapdelaine. Together they, and their families, made more memories with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts organizations to conclude Dan’s CFL coaching career.
Dan cringed when showered with attention; however, he was forever grateful to former player Angus Reid who penned “Thank You Coach: Learning How to Live by Being Taught How to Play” in 2018 truly displaying in written form the real power of relationships.
Surpassing 50 years coaching in the United States of America and Canada, Dan was able to round off his career as he began working with and developing great young talent in Canada at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia (UBC). It was on the field where his soft voice was most heard by all in the mix and it was on the turf where he most enjoyed watching his players, coaches and fellow staffers accomplish great things together.
Dan’s pedigree afforded him the opportunity to finish his coaching career with UBC with a Canada West Championship and an appearance in the Vanier Cup in Kingston, Ontario in 2023.
A truly outstanding Offensive Line Coach, Dan participating in countless coaching clinics as both an attendee and a speaker. He loved attending the annual C.O.O.L. (Coaches of the Offensive Line) clinic in Cincinnati and coaching and speaking at high schools, colleges and universities in Canada, the USA and yes abroad where he was part of a delegation of Canadian colleges – at that time from the CIS – who were guests in Norway.
Dan was a humble man who preferred to remain in the shadows of his brilliantly talented football players and fellow coaches. He was a man who wanted little and gave much.
His interests truly were Faith, Family, Football and Friends. Never a day passed when he did not invoke all of these passions. In the end, all four of these enthusiasms were mastered in his final moments here on earth.
In his final weeks, the oncologist encouraged Dan to cherish memories and make new ones. Dan was able to do both. To those who missed the opportunity to share memories in person with him before his passing, do not fret. Share those stories with each other, be a difference maker in the world and know that Coach Dan is looking down from above.
Deeply mourned by all who knew and loved him, Coach Dorazio will be missed most by his wife and best friend Lisa Caroglanian Dorazio. He also leaves behind children Daniel Joseph Dorazio, Jr. (wife Carrie), Marisa Dorazio Pierce, Christina Sossie Dorazio (deceased on August 21, 1999), Grandchildren: Carson, Matthew, Romeo & Valentino, Brother: Robert Dorazio, Father/Mother-in-law: Oscar & Eleanor Caroglanian, Brother/Sister-in-Law: Michael & Teri Caroglanian, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins: Caroglanian, Der Parseghian, Dorazio and Kramer families, countless football family colleagues, players, fellow Catholic church parishioners and dear friends and neighbors.
Many know that Dan attended daily Catholic mass in person and also attended daily mass via the Daily TV mass to start his day from the Loretto Abbey Chapel- National Catholic Broadcasting Council (NCBC) – in Ontario. In honour of his memory, and In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the NCBC at dailytv.mass.com, VGH + UBC Pancreatic Cancer Foundation (vghfoundation.ca/pancreatic-cancer) and the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research (pancreatic.org/about-the-foundation).
Dan’s legacy will always live on through all of you.
Prayers will be held at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, 33333 Mayfair Ave, Abbotsford BC V2S 1P4 on the Monday, August 19, 2024 at 7:00 PM. A funeral mass will be held at St. Ann’s the following morning at 11:00 AM.
A private interment will be held in Maryland after Dan’s safe transport from Canada to the United States of America.
Thank you for your continued prayers for our dearly departed Dan and those he has left behind.
VIA: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/abbotsford-bc/daniel-dorazio-11941310
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