Daniel Lee Soss, 92

Daniel Lee Soss passed away Nov. 28, 2023. In Hospice care at home, he was lovingly cared for by his children through his death, where he died peacefully in their arms. He was 92 years old. 

Daniel was the first-born son of Walter and Ethelyn Soss. Born at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, Wash., on May 30, 1931, he spent his childhood and young adult years growing up in the Buckeye, North Howard neighborhood of Spokane. He graduated from North Central High School in 1950 and went on to study social work at Eastern Washington State College, graduating with a BA in psychology/sociology in 1955. He earned his MSW in 1963 from the University of Washington and continued work on a PhD in 1981 and 1982. Daniel was proud of his history in scouting. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1946 and went on into Professional Leadership in 1956 through ML Schiff School and later with membership in the National Eagle Scout Association. 

In 1954, on a blind date, Daniel was reunited with a childhood friend, Dorene Rule. It was a match that would last 65 ½ years. Dan and Dee were married June 17, 1955, and began married life in Oakesdale Wash., where they ran the swimming pool. At the end of that first summer the newlyweds headed to Seattle, where Dan would begin work on a MSW in social work. While in Seattle they began their family with the birth of their first daughter, Shari. 

The little family traveled back and forth from Seattle to Spokane, alternating between Dan’s work for the Washington Department of Public Assistance, Voc. Rehab, and his education. At that time a second daughter, Nancy, was born and later a son, Mark. In 1966, Daniel moved his family to Olympia, Wash., where he would serve as a Public Health Administrator and Executive Assistant to the Deputy State Health Administrator, until 1973. In July of 1973, Daniel returned his family to Eastern Washington where he took positions, first as a rehabilitation counselor and subsequently as Chief Probation Officer and Director of the Juvenile Court of Whitman County. Dan and Dee would remain in Colfax for the next 20 years with Dan eventually teaching at WSU and directing social work programs at Whitman Convalescent Center. 

After retiring the couple moved to N. Idaho where they enjoyed Lake Pend Oreille, tending to their orchards and growing huge vegetable gardens with plenty of food to share. As time continued and they began to feel the effects of aging bodies they moved to Post Falls and a less physically demanding lifestyle, eventually beginning the final chapter of their lives in Coeur d’Alene where they shared a home with their son, Mark. During their Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene years, they became founding members of the Living Word Fellowship Church and derived great joy in seeing their little church grow and flourish. Dan touched the lives of many in his long life, he will be dearly missed. 

Daniel is survived by brother Dick Soss; brother-in-law Frank Forman (Francine); daughters Shari Roths (Mike), and Nancy Bradshaw (Mike); son Mark Soss (Lindsay), three nephews and four nieces, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. 

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Walter and Ethelyn Soss; father and stepmother-in-law Homer and Francine Rule; mother-in-law Doris Forman, sister-in-laws Marty Soss and Margene Rule; brother-in-law Fred Forman; son in law Allen Ray; and grandchildren Rachel Soss, Leeann Soss and David Soss. 

No services will be held at this time but a memorial will be set at a later date. Memorials may be made to Living Word Fellowship Church, 208-457-1665, or Hospice of North Idaho, Coeur d’Alene.