After a courageous battle against CNS lymphoma, on Sept. 18 Daniel passed peacefully in Connecticut Hospice surrounded by his family. He leaves his wife of 45 years, Attorney Gail S. Kotowski, daughter Jana (Russell) D’Agostino, and son Dane Kotowski, as well as a granddaughter, Gianna.
A Westfield, Massachusetts, native, Dan was the middle child of Josephine and the late Alexander Kotowski. He is survived by siblings Alexander (Sherrill) Kotowski, Michael (Frances) Kotowski, James (Donna) Kotowski, and Faith (Donald) Carpenter, as well as 11 nieces and nephews and many cousins.
Dan proudly served in the US Coast Guard during the Vietnam era, where he switched from electronics to cooking. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and moved to Connecticut to graduate from the University of New Haven with a degree in hotel restaurant management. While a student, he was a sauté chef at the Waverly Inn and the Rectory of St. Bernadette’s Church. After graduation, he entered the corporate side and commenced a 31-year career with Interstate United, which merged with Chartwells. Over his career, he was a food service director for Avco-Lycoming, the Amity Regional, RHAM, and Branford school districts, as well as the executive chef for the Northeast region, where he loved teaching and dazzling with food demonstrations.
A Guilford resident, Daniel loved sailing and clamming and served on the board of directors for the Guilford Yacht Club. His other love was snowboarding and snowmobiling in Vermont, where for many years he was on the board of the Deerfield Valley StumpJumpers, and was known for directing the annual fundraiser, a pig roast in February.
His hobby was building houses and he created the 39-lot Alexander Place subdivision in his hometown.
Throughout his travels, he made friends with his warm smile and high energy. He loved hosting parties that often grew to 150 on the 4th of July. Honoring his final wishes, the family will host a party as a Memorial Celebration of his life on Oct. 15 at the Pine Orchard Yacht Club in Branford.
The family is grateful for the care and treatment at Smilow and Connecticut Hospice and requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to these organizations.
