Daniel "Gopher" Deutsch

Daniel “Gopher” Deutsch, of Milford, IA (formerly of Jordan, MN) passed away July 26, 2024, at the age of 68. A gathering of family and friends will be held at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation (104 First Street West) in Jordan on Saturday, August 3, 2024, from 1:00 – 2:30 PM with closing prayers at 2:30 PM. Dan will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery in Jordan. 

On February 7, 1956, Daniel Joseph Deutsch was born in New Prague, MN. He was the youngest of three children born to Arnold and Lorraine (Senkyr) Deutsch. When he was a boy, Dan’s dad gave him the nickname “Gopher” because of his buck teeth, and it stuck. All throughout school, his friends called him Gopher. Sadly, Dan’s father died suddenly at a young age. This was hard for Dan and his family, but Lorraine was the glue that held everyone together during this difficult time and beyond. 

As a teenager, Dan realized his love of woodworking. He had a real talent for it. Dan graduated from Jordan High School in 1974 and then pursued further education by taking a few classes in carpentry and architecture at a local vo-tech school.

On June 30, 1979, Dan married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Vohnoutka. They settled in Jordan, and Dan began working at the Kmart Distribution Center to support his family. Their marriage was blessed with two wonderful daughters, Tera and Elizabeth. In 1992, Dan and Shirley divorced and went their separate ways. 

Following their divorce, Dan began painting houses and finding jobs that utilized his woodworking skills. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing, being outdoors and feeding the wildlife. Dan lived with his mother until her passing in 2007. He then moved to Washington for a number of years before settling in Milford, Iowa. He made some good friends along the way and had some wonderful roommates too. 

Dan was a man who enjoyed the simple things in life. He liked playing cards, taking in nature and building things with his hands. Dan suffered a head injury while fishing in April. Although his strength and perseverance allowed him to survive against all odds, his life wasn’t the same. On July 26, 2024, he passed away at Osceola Hospital in Sibley, Iowa.

He is survived by his daughters, Tera (Mike) Polzer and Elizabeth (Mike Sirek) Deutsch; grandchildren, Addison and George Polzer; sister, Diane (Larry) Busch; sister-in-law, Mary Deutsch; many nieces, nephews, other loving relatives and friends. Dan was greeted in Heaven by his father, Arnold Deutsch; mother, Lorraine (Herman) Neisen; brother, David Deutsch.