Daniel A. Veith
Dan was a native of New Orleans, LA and relocated to Oreland, PA in 2009. He was preceded in death by his parents, John William and Laura Shaw Veith, both of New Orleans. Dan was the beloved husband of the late Dianne (nee Calongne) for 64 years, devoted father of Richard B. and Karen M. Veith and grandfather to Henrik Veith. He was the brother of the late John William Veith, Jr. and brother-in-law to Jeanne Wilder Veith of Christiansburg, VA.
Dr. Veith attended Tulane University, receiving his Bachelors in 1956. He was among the first 3 recipients of a PhD in Physics at Tulane in 1963, following a Masters degree from UCLA. He was a proud brother and sergeant-at-arms of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity while attending Tulane University. His academic successes included making the Dean’s List every semester, being in Sigma Pi Sigma, the Physics & Astronomy Honor Society and being a 1956 recipient of the Howard Hughes Fellowship. He met his wife, Dianne at a pre medical society event and they married shortly after their first graduation in 1956.
Dan dedicated his career to teaching and directing the Department of Physics at Nicholls State College, later University, in Thibodaux, LA. from 1967 until 2001. Prior to teaching, he worked for Hughes Aircraft while pursuing his Masters at UCLA. While pioneering the new PhD program at Tulane, he worked for the Chrysler Corporation where he was part of the Space Division design team for the first stage Saturn rocket at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans. Dan enjoyed a long retirement from teaching during which time he did some private consulting.
He dedicated his spare time to his family and their activities. He was the pack leader of a Metairie, LA chapter of the Cub Scouts and served in many roles running swim meets for the Metairie YMCA. In retirement, he indulged in his love for photography, computer technology and collecting and listening to Dixieland Jazz and Big Band era music.
Additional passions included boating, fishing, reading, WWII history, early automobiles and airplanes, watching the New Orleans Saints and Phillies games, being a dog dad to Bandit, Brutus, Dee Dee and Hercules and becoming a grandfather at 82, something that both surprised and delighted him. In 2023 he fulfilled another dream – owning and riding in a 1924 Dodge Brothers motor car at the Oreland Lions July 4th Parade.
Dan leaves behind his loving children and grandchild, extended family and many friends.
A service for both Dan and Dianne will occur at 3:30pm on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Chestnut Hill United Church in Chestnut Hill, PA. Instead of flowers, contributions are instead requested to be made to Louisiana Boxer Rescue or Adopt A Boxer Rescue.
