Daniel "Danny" G. Harris 1946 - 2017

HARRIS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/21/2017 at 02:28:33

Sioux City Journal
21 May 2017

SIOUX CITY | Daniel "Danny" G. Harris, 70, of Sioux City, died on April 19, 2017. Sioux City lost a man few had the fortune of knowing, a true hero that slipped away as quietly as he had arrived.

Danny's family at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's would like to welcome those who knew Danny to a memorial service at 11 a.m. Friday, May 26, in St. Luke's Auditorium. A lunch in the hospital's Auxiliary Dining Room will immediately follow the service. Danny's paintings will also be on display, a beautiful tribute to a man who so beautifully touched those around him. Arrangements are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Online condolences may be expressed at www.meyerbroschapels.com.

If Daniel "Danny" G. Harris' life was summed up in facts only, his story would be a rather short one: most of the details gleamed from a 1971 job application at UnityPoint Health–St. Luke's. Danny was born on Dec. 28, 1946, place of birth unknown, and worked at Harvey Dry Cleaners in Sioux City for a short time before applying at the hospital. On June 16, 1971, Danny started a 40-year career at St. Luke's, retiring on Dec. 31, 2011.

That is Danny's story told strictly in vital records. However, as is often the case with unsung heroes, there is much more to Danny Harris' story and the indelible mark he left on those who had the opportunity to know him.

Danny was not a typical hero by most standards. When he applied at St. Luke's in June 1971, he requested a position in the laundry department, one can only speculate that he did this based on his prior dry cleaning experience. While he was a hard worker who strongly believed in "getting the job done," Danny had speech difficulties, often making it challenging for him to communicate with other employees. Danny's move from St. Luke's laundry department to an overnight janitorial position in the hospital's surgery area freed Danny of these challenges, allowing him to work by himself to get St. Luke's operating rooms in pristine condition for the next morning's surgeries.

On a nightly basis, Danny would undertake the daunting task of stripping and waxing the surgery area's entire floor, changing all of the cubicle curtains and essentially cleaning the hospital's operating rooms from floor to ceiling. On several occasions, surgery staff would catch glimpses of Danny on his hands and knees using a small brush to clean out the cracks and crevices in the department's surgical suites. Danny's explanation for doing this was simple: "I don't want anybody to catch anything, because I missed cleaning something," he would say.

One of Danny's co-workers once said that, "while Danny may not get a lot of attention while he is at work, people would certainly notice if Danny missed a day of work." Fortunately for those that were touched by his tireless efforts, Danny never missed a day of work during his 40-year career at St. Luke's. It's hard for many to imagine never missing a day of work for illness or extreme winter weather conditions, except those people never had the opportunity to meet or work with Danny.

In recognition of his incredible heart, soul and dedication, St. Luke's nominated Danny for the Iowa Hospital Association Iowa Hospital Heroes Award in 2009, an award typically given to health care professionals working in direct patient care. Danny became the first hospital housekeeper in Iowa to receive the highly regarded IHA Iowa Hospital Heroes Award. His co-workers made sure Danny was able to receive the award in person, traveling with him to Des Moines and proudly looking on as Danny walked onstage.

In his free moments, Danny displayed the same passion for his hobbies as he did for his work at St. Luke's. He loved taking bus trips, traveling alone to places as far away as California. He was notorious for returning to work after a few days of vacation, and to his co-workers' amazement, proudly announcing his latest travels. In typical Danny fashion, he did not let his challenges get in the way of allowing him the delight of experiencing the world around him.

In addition to traveling, Danny was passionate about his "paint-by-number" paintings, often bringing his latest masterpiece to work. His paintings were so detailed, so colorful—the type of artwork one could stare at for hours. Today, St. Luke's proudly boasts a collection of more than a dozen of Danny's works of art. In particular, three of Danny's paintings are displayed with nameplates bearing his name, something which brought a huge smile to Danny's face when he first saw them years ago.

Danny famously said that he hoped his paintings would make those who saw them smile or give someone the confidence to try something new. There's little doubt the footprints Danny left at St. Luke's will continue to make others smile for years to come.