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Daniel E. Bantz

December 10, 1944 - August 27, 2026

This isn’t your ordinary obituary. Oh yes, Dan was born, he lived, he died. But that doesn’t say anything about Dan. No need to say Bantz, just Dan will do.

That obituary doesn’t tell that a visit to 7 1/2-mile road would lead to a 7 1/2-mile tour of at least cases with as many drawers containing carefully preserved moths and butterflies and various creepy crawlies. It also doesn’t tell you that he would take a selection of these drawers on tour to whatever classroom would have him for show and tell. It doesn’t tell you that the police in the area knew the car parked askew off the roadside belonged to Dr. Moth, who was just collecting butterfly chrysalis he’d placed in the bushes weeks earlier.

That obit doesn’t tell you of Dan’s science teaching – that his principal would wonder, almost in trepidation, what science magic he would do to start the year off with a bang (and how much it would cost to repaint some walls or ceiling). It doesn’t tell you that he took these students to award winning State and national science fairs for years on end.

That ordinary obit doesn’t tell you that he’d made goop with his nephews and nieces in and then spent hours playing with them. It doesn’t tell you that he showed the boys how to hold a skeet gun or pick ripe bell peppers or ride the grass mower.
It doesn’t tell you that an evening could be a bowl of popcorn and a sampling of bourbon or fine wine.

A standard obituary doesn’t tell you of his shared love with Pat for the Cudahy Public Library-the hours spent reorganizing spaces, shelving books and preparing for the fundraising events and even having a cup of tea!

What obituary can say what affection and generosity, tenderness and happiness Dan and Pat have had for their families. This sounds like an obit for Pat, too, but it’s not possible to separate those two when talking about family. Those years of sharing their house without question for days and weeks at a time is just the external way of sharing their fondness and love. Thanks, Dan.

To be sure, there is no way that this writing can tell what love Dan and Pat have for each other. Being devoted to each other and caring for each other doesn’t even start. So, we won’t.

A Memorial Gathering will be held on Friday, October 2, 2026, at Cudahy Family Library, 3500 Library Dr, Cudahy, WI 53110, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers memorials are appreciated to Cudahy Family Library or Pine View Animal Rehabilitation and Education Center.

Close-up portrait of an elderly man with white beard and round glasses, smiling at the camera.
Young child standing and smiling, wearing a striped shirt with suspenders and short overalls, white socks and shoes, in a vintage sepia-toned photo.
Magazine page titled 'The Nature of Nature Travel' showing a smiling man with a sun hat and three wildlife photos (bird, seal, close-up beak) with conservation text below.
Group of four smiling adults posing together by a waterfront with modern city buildings in the background.
Group of adults seated around a dining table playing a board game, chips and drinks visible, warm kitchen lighting in background
Smiling older couple posing on a rocky hillside with a green valley and a distant waterfall behind them.
Three people in a boat on a lake; man on the left uses binoculars, the center man wears a wide-brimmed hat, and a woman in a blue shirt sits to the right.
Two seniors with sunglasses leaning on a boat railing, posed by calm water and cloudy sky, with a carved figurehead nearby.
People on a boat wearing wide-brim hats, looking through binoculars toward the water with a cloudy sky above.
Close-up of a smiling older man with a gray beard outdoors among green trees in a sunny setting.
Smiling man with glasses and a white beard, wearing a dark zip-up shirt, indoors with greenery and shelves in the background.
Group of seniors dining at a long table under a large tent with red-and-white checkered tablecloths short distance from the camera.
Smiling elderly couple in jackets posing in front of a statue on a stone pedestal amid an autumn harvest display with pumpkins nearby.
Man wearing a wide-brim beige hat and sunglasses, laughing outdoors.
Two seniors stand together in a geothermal landscape with steam vents and a blue sky behind them.
Tabby cat sitting on a beige carpet, looking at the camera with a blue grooming brush nearby.
Older man with glasses and a white beard sits at a restaurant table, spooning soup from a bowl with a plate of beans and vegetables nearby.
Group of smiling tourists posing together in front of ancient terraced ruins and stone buildings atop a hillside in Peru
Nine people seated around a long table in a restaurant, plates of food and wine glasses in front of them, smiling at the camera as they share a meal.
Smiling woman in a pink turtleneck sits beside a bearded man on a bed, a large wall map behind them.
Bearded man in a white Santa-themed shirt holds a gift box while seated against a large stone wall backdrop.”,
A family sits together in a living room next to a decorated Christmas tree, smiling at the camera. A woman in a blue blouse sits center, a man in a green sweater sits to her right, and another person sits on the left with a patterned chair and coffee cups on the table in front of them.
Two elderly people sit closely together, each wrapped in a large plaid blanket, and look toward the camera inside a vehicle.
Smiling group of tourists wearing hats posing in front of a large waterfall with mist and green forest in the background.
Two people in green ponchos stand by a railing, watching a misty waterfall in the distance.
Aerial view of Iguazú Falls with multiple cascades surrounded by dense rainforest and a red-roofed resort in the foreground.
Smiling elderly man with glasses and white beard, in a striped polo, sitting on a patio and holding a decorative glass with a drink.
Man with a blue bucket hat and red shirt raises his fist outdoors by a wooded riverbank.
Two men at a birthday party wearing party hats; one holds a beer bottle, with a 'Happy Birthday' banner in the background between them.
Group of smiling adults at a celebration, raising champagne glasses around a table with candles and drinks in a warm, festive setting.
Man in a blue shirt and hat proudly holds two snakes, a black one and a yellow one, outdoors beside a hat display.
Two men at a picnic table in a forested area, smoking cigars, with drinks and snacks on the table.
Close-up black-and-white portrait of a man with glasses and a beard, looking slightly upward at the camera.
Smiling elderly couple sitting together on a porch, the woman in a white blouse and the man in a striped shirt, with a brick wall background behind them.
Smiling older man with gray beard outdoors, wearing a light shirt, with trees in the background; another person partially visible on the right.
Three seniors sit around a table enjoying a meal together, with plates of food and drinks visible.
Woman in a floral era dress and bonnet stands beside a man in a tuxedo and top hat at a brick-walled indoor setting, holding his arm.
Man in a turquoise shirt and white shorts blows a giant soap bubble outdoors, while people sit at a picnic bench in the background.
Group of four people in blue jackets posing in front of a large Summit Pikes Peak sign on a snowy day.
Close-up of an orange and cream butterfly with brown wing edges resting on a rocky surface, against a green blurred background.
Smiling woman in a patterned sweater holding a glass, standing next to a bearded man in a striped shirt at a social gathering with food in the foreground.
Two friends posing for a photo indoors, the man holding a glass and wearing a white and gray striped shirt beside a smiling woman in a gray sweater against a wood-paneled wall.
Smiling woman in a red shirt sits in a striped folding chair outdoors, surrounded by dense green foliage.
Man with a beard and glasses relaxing in a striped beach chair wearing a red shirt, outdoors on a sandy area.
Man with glasses relaxing in a striped lawn chair in a backyard at night, surrounded by more lawn chairs.
Two people paddling a yellow kayak on blue water, both wearing orange life jackets.
Four adults posing together outdoors, wearing sunglasses, with a decorative black-and-white railing in the background on a sunny day.
Man with a beard in a denim jacket standing by a wooden swing set as children play on the swings in a backyard park with trees in the background.
Two adults stand side by side outdoors on a rocky desert landscape under a cloudy blue sky.
Three people pose with a life-size Mickey Mouse mascot: a bearded man in glasses on the left and a woman in red on the right.
Four adults stand beside a small yellow airplane on a grassy airfield, smiling at the camera with the plane door open behind them.
Three people in riding gear and helmets stand in front of saddled horses behind a wooden fence in a pasture.
Man in a wide-brimmed hat and khaki shirt on a boat, holding up a colorful fish by the line to show his catch.
Close-up of beige fabric with two black grommets and a blue butterfly pin, resting over dark denim.
Bearded man in a wide-brim hat and backpack rides a horse on a forest trail; another rider is visible in the background.
Older man with a white beard and wide-brim hat stands among tropical plants; white shirt shows a red maple leaf and the word Canada.
Six adults posing in front of a large, decorated Christmas tree indoors, smiling at the camera.
Group of six people posing for a photo in front of a large bronze statue of a kneeling man, outdoors among palm trees with a brick building and clock tower in the background.
Man wearing a teal and black jacket sledding down a snowy hill, with a child and adults in the background near trees.
Older man in a striped shirt walks through a wooden chicken coop, holding a white cloth, outdoors on a farm.
Two adults posing on large rocks in a sunny, wooded garden; a bearded man in a white WKTI T-shirt sits in front while a smiling woman wearing sunglasses stands behind him.
Three men wearing large yellow cheese blocks on their heads, posing outdoors at a sunny event, shirts read Wisconsin State Champs.
Group of four adults in outdoor jackets posing by a small airplane on a grassy field, smiling at the camera.
Man wearing a Santa hat and teal sweater, smiling, with wrapped gifts nearby.
Group of five adults posing for a holiday photo in a living room with a Christmas tree and a Santa figure in the background.
Person wearing a white swim cap sitting on another person’s shoulders at a poolside scene with loungers in the background.
Two smiling adults in matching blue winter parkas posing in front of an ice sculpture backdrop.
Four people pose for a wedding photo on tiled steps inside a decorated hall: from left, bridesmaid in a light gown, bride in white holding a bouquet, and two men in suits (groom in gray, groomsman in darker suit).
Man with a gray beard wearing a yellow jacket and black helmet, drinking from a metal horn outdoors while people and trees are visible in the background.
Three people in swimsuits stand at the shore with waves in the background, posing for a photo on the beach.
Two men wearing sunglasses and hats pose in a forested area with rocks nearby
Two men in a store pose for a photo, both wearing large black fur hats with emblems, smiling at the camera.
Group of men in business suits posing by a fountain statue outdoors, with trees and a building in the background.
Three friends stand together on a sunny beach, smiling in swimsuits with the ocean in the background.
Group of adults gathered around a long dining table in a casual restaurant, smiling for the photo with plates and drinks on the table.
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This isn’t your ordinary obituary. Oh yes, Dan was born, he lived, he died. But that doesn’t say anything about Dan. No need to say Bantz, just Dan will do. That obituary doesn’t tell that a visit to 7 1/2-mile road would lead to a 7 1/2-mile tour of at least cases with as manyContinue Reading

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Judy Mrozinski left a message on September 9, 2026:
great picture of Dan. What a sweetheart he was. Always a huge smile big kiss and a hug that was Dans. He and Pat were so devoted to each other. Dr Moth was his license plate. So many beautiful butterflies. His knowledge of each spies was incredible. I have 8 grandchildren and each year they got cristalists from Dan and took them to school to watch the process of making a cocoons and the beautiful butterfly emerging. I was fortunate to share in their 50 th anniversary. They were world travelers and shared so much with all of a USA. He will be missed. 😢🙏❤️💕🤗
Krause Funeral Home & Cremation Services left a message:
Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.
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