Daniel ‘Dan’ Svoboda passed away on July 26, 2015 at his home in Corvallis, MT after a two-year battle with colon cancer.
He was born January 10, 1953 at St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, IL. Dan was reared by Tony James and Lucille Suyo Svoboda on the family farm. He attended elementary and high school in Mt. Olive, IL.
Dan received a bachelors degree in Forestry, and a masters degree in Plant and Soil Science from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. During his undergrad he was employed by local steel mills, machine shops, and the USDA Research lab.
After graduation, Dan worked for the Hillsboro, IL DNR and Shawnee NF. He then began a 36-year career with the US Forest Service beginning on the Sawtooth NF, Twin Falls, ID. Between 1979-2007 he worked on the Beaverhead NF in Dillon, MT, and then the Chagach NF in Anchorage, AK until 2011 when he retired.
Between 2002-2009 Dan went on six ecologist and soil scientist assignments to Tanzania and Kenya for watershed, forestry, and agricultural assessments for the African Wildlife Foundation, Jane Goodall Institute, US AID, FS International Programs, Tanzania National Parks, and Tanzania Conservation Land Trust.
Dan enjoyed skiing, gardening, hiking, and most of all spending time with his family.
Dan married Sandra Monke in 1976, and had two children; Matthew J. Svoboda and Katherine N. Svoboda. They divorced and he married Elizabeth Brann in 1989.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents, and all aunts and uncles. Survived by his spouse of Corvallis, MT, children, both of Bozeman, MT, grandchild Harper Svoboda, brother M. Bruce Svoboda, Glen Ellyn, IL, sister Tonia N. Liss, Chicago IL, five nieces and nephews, and numerous cousins.
Arrangements are with Brothers Mortuary and Crematory in Hamilton, MT. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Dan’s name to Wilderness Watch, PO Box 9175, Missoula, MT 59807.