One thing to know about Dan Pisello was that he was enthusiastically convinced that everyone could learn and enjoy the beauty of advanced mathematics and physics like he did, and he worked very hard to convince his children (and wife) and the many students he had over the years, of this novel idea. 

We are very sad to announce that Dan passed away on April 5, 2023, after a long illness. He leaves his wife Susan, son Damon and daughter Chloe who will miss him dearly. He was a wonderful husband and father and we loved him so much. We will also always happily remember his positivity, creativity, and intellectual curiosity. He carried those qualities through everything he did.

Dan (or Danny!) was born in White Plains, NY on December 13, 1942. He attended Archbishop Stepinac HS (and made lifelong friends there who I know will miss him greatly). He was an Eagle Scout and  loved creating experiments in his own basement chemistry lab. Dan then attended the College of the Holy Cross, spending a year abroad studying in Vienna, then graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He then earned a PhD in Physics from Columbia University. 

Dan was a longtime resident of NYC and later, Morris Plains, NJ. He most recently resided in Philadelphia, PA. 

Dan pursued his interests with gusto. He was a drummer and a member of many jazz, rock and blues bands through the years. He wrote and starred in two children’s musicals, “The King of the Entire World” and “Captain Boogie and the Kids from Mars,” that used comedy and music to teach scientific principles. Dan even did some stand up comedy.

He really loved to dance! He was also a lifelong fan of the music of Dave Brubeck and also had a particular affection for Van Morrison, The Band, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, The Beatles and, last but not least, for Leo Sayer’s song “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing.”

Dan was a very devoted father. He made up and acted out stories for his children when they were young, made them Halloween costumes,  held music jams with them, helped out with cub scouts activities (he was an Eagle Scout) and helped them through the challenges of advanced math and science in high school. He truly believed there was no limit on how much you could learn about the world - and delighted in answering his children’s questions about how things worked.

Comedy was also a huge part of our family life, thanks to Dan. We would enjoy comedy albums, movies, cartoons, and radio shows, from Jean Shepherd, Sid Caesar and Mel Brooks to SpongeBob and Catdog. He was also extremely funny and found humor everywhere. 

But Dan’s theoretical physics project was his vocation and he worked tirelessly at it, well into retirement. Throughout his life, he wrote many scholarly physics articles and a physics book. He taught astronomy at Sing Sing. He was also an activist and expert witness holding the nuclear energy industry accountable. 

Dan retired from New York Life in 2007 after a 20 year career there, first as a quantitative analyst then as a corporate VP in IT. After, he returned to teaching physics at Morristown HS in Morristown, NJ for an additional three years. 

Dan was predeceased by his parents, Daniel Pisello and Emilia (Siciliano) Pisello and his sister Maria Carpenito. He is also survived by his aunt Carmela Gallo (Millie), sisters and brothers in-law, nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.