Daniel Peter Bailey (b. April 21, 1957) passed away in Chicago on Friday, June 7, 2024, aged 67, following a six-year battle with multiple myeloma. This battle was marked by his characteristic interest in scientific detail, pursuit of relationships with his caretakers, and passionate faith in and dedication to Jesus Christ.

Dan was predeceased by his mother, Marilyn Bailey (Sievers), and his father, Douglas Bailey, and is survived by his three younger brothers, Timothy, David, and James, his nieces and nephews, Kaitlyn, Bethany, and Benjamin, their four children, and his many close friends and colleagues.

A man overflowing with interests and talents, Daniel took the scenic route through life. Raised by their mother, Marilyn, after their father's untimely death, Dan and his brothers enjoyed a freewheeling and creative childhood exploring 1970s Milwaukee and boating the rivers and lakes of
Wisconsin. In these years Dan cultivated his notable skills as a guitarist, painter, and sculptor. Today, his watercolors grace the walls of lucky friends and family members. The harmonies of five decades of Bailey Brother jam sessions echo from his now-empty seat by the campfire. Daniel's prodigious interests managed to unify many seeming differences--the rock musician who loved the baroque perfectionism of J.S. Bach, for one example, the faithful scientist for another. Steadfastly supported by his mother, Daniel earned his B.A. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1980 before continuing to earn his M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 1990 and his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in England in 1999 for his dissertation, "Jesus as the Mercy Seat: The Semantics and Theology of Paul's Use of Hilasterion in Romans 3:25," an influential theological thread he would continue to pull for the rest of his life. As an engineer and a scholar of biblical Greek by training and a skilled practitioner of exegesis, Daniel occupied an increasingly rare space in the 21st century--a devout scientist and accomplished humanist living a monk-like existence devoted to ideas and his many lasting friendships. Dan will be remembered for his skillful analysis of the foundational ideas behind his Christian faith and his methodical understanding of their basis in the text of the Bible. Dan's research, writing, and teaching work took him around the world, including extended stints in Kenya, Germany, and Britain, translating and expounding on the Bible and influential works related to it in numerous languages.

Many others will remember Daniel for his passionate interest in the scientific world, as an engineer at Cummins and, perhaps even more so, for his time at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), where he ushered hundreds of important scientific research and engineering projects to funding success as a professional grant-writer. Dan held a sincere interest in and incisive understanding of the many projects of which he was a part. From engine development to advanced surgical training tools to biofuels and clean energy, Daniel was passionate about his place in many projects of this earthly world in addition to his decades-long contributions to our understanding of the heavenly one.

To Dan's friends and family, some of his many quirks and habits will elicit a smile of fond recollection: his naps on countless couches, his childlike pursuit of (likely very confused) wild turtles, his quiet strength and tenacious resolve to golf through cancer and a broken back, his inability to get out the door on time. His appetite was as boundless and curious as his spiritual horizons; his approach to organization was as carefree as his obsession with semantics was meticulous.

Now, as the many family, friends, and caretakers he leaves behind appreciate Daniel's enduring contribution to the world we continue to inhabit, we may take solace in his welcoming embrace by the merciful Father above about whom Dan so convincingly wrote, and the waiting arms of his loving mother.

Memorial Service details:

Saturday, July 13, 2024, 10:30 am
The Moody Church
Room 107/108
1635 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60614

Internment Details:

Friday, July 12, 2024, 12:00 noon
Graceland Cemetery, 6401 N 43rd St, Milwaukee, WI 53209

Donation Details:

In lieu of flowers, gifts honoring Daniel's life can be made to The Moody Church ( https://www.moodychurch.org/give/ ) or the pursuit of research at UIC Engineering ( https://give.engineering.uic.edu )."