Obituary: Iyall, Daniel V.
Age 83
IYALL,
Daniel V.
Daniel V. Iyall born of Yakama Indian Nation January 8, 1928 in Olympia, WA and went to the Great Spirit on August 6, 2012 in Spokane, WA.
Dan thrived as a boy in the country on the Nisqually Indian Reservation raising cattle, horses, turkeys, chickens, hay fields, an orchard, and garden.
He also fished, hunted, and gathered berries, roots, and wild nuts.
Sports were a big part of Dan’s life playing football and baseball at Olympia High School despite living in the country with no car or activity bus.
Often he arrived home in time to help with cow milking.
Winning an Indian Scholarship and working part time at school provided the means for higher education and continuing with sports.
In college at Washington State and Central Washington Dan played four years of football (quarterback) and baseball (catcher) winning three championships in baseball.
Dan earned a B.A.
from CWU in education in 1951 and a M.S.
in Physical Education with administrator credit from WSU in 1967.
Dan coached four different schools to baseball championships: Coulee City, Deer Park, Oroville, and University.
He also took Oroville to the Washington State “A” basketball tournament.
He developed the slant bat bunting style and was on the committee that formulated the high school baseball playoff system.
Dan received an induction into the Washington State High School Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.
Dan’s wife of 43 years, Mildred taught for 48 years; and Dan was in education for 47 years for a combined 95 years; the longest tenure in the state!
They raised two Indian foster boys, Ted Bassette a Colville and Charles Van Petlt a Umatilla.
They also adopted Gail a Canadian Blackfeet.
Gail passed away leaving three young children Nicole, Daniel, and Christopher.
The Iyall’s raised them too.
Dan developed the Spokane Valley Native American Program to promote cultural awareness in four Spokane Valley school districts.
It soon became a national showcase model.
This allowed him to do cultural and educational seminars nationwide.
Honors include Washington State Indian Elder of the Year and Indian Educator of the Year by the Washington State Indian Education Association.
He also enjoyed being a counselor at Indian Youth Leadership camps.
An endowment is in his name at the U of W left by an alumnus who is a doctor and a former basketball player for Dan.
A faithful Cougar Club WSU Foundation member Dan has sponsored student athletes to scholarships for many years.
Go Cougs!
Dan and his wife Ruth loved dancing and belonged to the Chrystal Chandeliers Ballroom Dance club, The Spokane Swing club, and The Eagles.
Dan competed for three years in Ballroom, Latin, and Swing dancing.
Dan and Ruth loved golfing in Spokane and Yuma.
Dan also played with his buddies, the Four Amigos, and the Over the Hill Gang.
Dan leaves wife Ruth in the home; brother Albert of Federal Way; sister Lillian Chappel of Seattle; son Richard of Fresno; daughters Sandra of Fresno and Debra of Sacramento; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
A Vigil Service will be held at 7:00 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012 at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Funeral Mass Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at 10:00 am at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes.