Raphael Egger

Daniel "Raphael" Egger was born on March 8, 1932 in Grand Junction, CO. He passed away on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at Vista Grande in Cortez, CO.
Dan was the second youngest of 13 kids. He grew up in Palisade, CO and attended Palisade high school where he met Chief Ouray. During a conversation Chief Ouray told him that nobody owes you anything; you must work for anything you want. Dan tried to live this way. He graduated from Palisade high in 1950 and then joined the Air force for four years. He was stationed in Alaska at a radar station. When discharged he entered a seminary for Jesuit Priest. He left the seminary a year and half later and got a job at Marty Missionary in SD where he met Genevieve St. Claire. They were married 7 months later. They had six children.
Dan got his BA at Regis University and taught elementary school for several years. He then went to school to program computers. After his divorce he spent several years in Japan teaching conversational English. He eventually ended up in Pagosa Springs, CO. He said that was where he needed to live. Several years later he moved to Cortez, CO where he passed away at the age of 89.
Dan was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Magdalene Friedman; his father, Joseph John Egger; his sisters, Mabel Feature, Anastasia Stevenson, Maryanne Serve, Agnes Welch, Roseann Young, Gladys Garlitz, Sister Regis (Loretta); his brothers, John, Edward, James and Joseph D. Surviving him are his younger sister, Regina Imbruglia; his children, Celestine Shippley of Denver, Bernadine Egger of Nebraska, Vita White Eyes of South Dakota, Gina Egger of Denver, Joseph Egger of Denver and Frank Egger of Florida; 15 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.
We love you and will miss you.