Daniel James Brajkovich

4/5/1947-3/3/2020

Daniel James Brajkovich passed away peacefully at home in Livermore, California, following an extensive battle with metabolic syndrome, rheumatologic illness, and metastatic bladder cancer, on March 3, 2020.

Dan was born in Oakland, California on April 5, 1947. He was the 2nd born child in the Brajkovich family, having an older sister, Margaret (Peggy), and a younger sister, Bridget. Dan grew up in Oakland in a close knit Catholic family, very much united by his loving parents, Margaret and Rudy, and attended St. Jarleth’s Church, simultaneously attending Grammar School there through the 8th grade. He later attended Skyline High School and graduated there in 1965. Subsequently, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1965 and completed his tour of duty, with an Honorable Discharge, there in 1967. While in the Army, he served in Alaska and Colorado and met many wonderful people in the process, including Pat Kishio and the Monsignor of Alaska, the latter with whom he had a profound spiritual connection.

Upon returning to California, he attended Lone

Mountain College where, in 1976, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Minor in Ecclesiastical Art. There, he also became involved in the history of Christian iconography. Following his exposure to this art form, he began to craft icons (this involving the arduous aspects of preparing the wood to receive preservation shellac upon which egg tempera/gold leaf were later applied); and he was ultimately guided in this craft by a Russian Orthodox woman iconographer by the name of Olga.

There is no question that Dan was a profound spiritual and religious man--never “stuffy” about his spirituality or his beliefs--yet he had such a scholarly knowledge about Judeo-Christian history (not to mention Islamic theology) that he often left priests, rabbis, and Islamic friends in awe of what he knew. He truly led a devout, charitable, and holy life.

Always creative in many ways, Danny was a chef-par excellence (for instance, he had 60+ Chinese cookbooks alone)-and he loved to entertain. He had the remarkable ability to put anyone at ease: he could make an individual who he just met feel immediately included in any company.

Later on, while his career in biological sciences evolved, he worked in various divisions of Stanford Research Institute (SRI), Syntex Pharmaceuticals, and ultimately completed his biologic career at Penederm in the 1990s in Foster City.

Simultaneously during these years (mid 1970s-mid 1990s), he lived happily with his first partner Paul Yockel, {who had also worked at Stanford Research Institute (SRI)}, with their having resided both in Redwood City and Newark. There, they had many good times, often entertaining Dan’s beloved parents and family members from both of their families, as well as many friends.

Following Paul’s death in 1996, Dan was eventually to settle down with an old friend, Brad Gould M.D. and lived in Pleasanton, California. While Brad pursued his psychiatric practice, Dan wanted to reach out into a new area for his career: education. He applied to the UC Berkeley Adult Program for his Teaching Credential, was accepted and successfully completed that program, working as a substitute teacher initially, and eventually went on to teaching ESL for many years in Pleasanton. Brad and Dan were subsequently married in 2013.

However, beginning in 2008, Dan’s health had begun to take a downturn, even though he enjoyed traveling, gardening, and entertaining, as well as maintaining their home. In the context of his receiving wonderful care at Veterans Administration Hospital and Clinics in Palo Alto (primarily from his internist, Dr. Mina Charon M.D.), not to mention his having been seen by many fine specialists at Veterans Administration Clinic in Livermore, he was later to struggle with a pulmonary embolus, a coronary artery bypass graft, evolving metabolic syndrome, polymyalgia rheumatica, and, finally, bladder cancer. All of these combined illnesses contributed to the decline of his general health.

While this process was going on, it was clear to Dan and Brad in 2014, that moving to a single-story home in Livermore was a good transition to create a safer environment. Then, in October 2019-following Dan’s being found to have bladder cancer 10 months earlier (and having received chemotherapy and radiation treatment during those 10 months )-Dan and Brad were able to spend a lovely 3 week vacation in Maui (where Dan learned to play croquet!). Upon their subsequent return to the Mainland, Danny’s health, sadly, declined quickly. His loving family (including his sisters, Peggy Leach and Bridget Noble, his cousin, Maureen Brychel, and family friends, Terry Kirkpatrick and Pat Johnson-all of these women being fine nurses) provided inestimable help and support, subsequently finding an excellent in-home nursing/healthcare service which they recommended for Dan’s home care at that point. This organization did a great job, following which Dan’s family and friends recommended a great hospice, as well.

During the last full day of Dan’s life, March 2, 2020, he was surrounded at home by visiting family and friends; and last rites were administered by Father Jose Leon in a very moving ceremony.

Dan died peacefully at home-and in no pain-cared for by Pat Johnson and Brad-in the early hours of March 3, 2020. Because of the Covid restrictions imposed shortly thereafter, Dan’s Celebration of Life services were postponed; but a Celebration of Life service will be planned in the future when the Covid restrictions are lifted. Meanwhile, Dan is survived by his partner and husband of 25 years, Brad, as well as his sisters, Margaret Leach (Peggy) of Tubac, Arizona and Bridget Noble of Battle Ground, Washington, his nieces, Sarah Leach and Caitlyn Noble, and his nephews, Tom Leach and Dominic Noble. He is also survived by 2 great nieces (Isabel Leach and Ava Noble) and a great-nephew (Damien Villegas), in addition to many cousins.