In Memoriam: Daniel Brodsky, 87

SAN DIEGO — Daniel Brodsky, originally of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and an influential member of the San Diego Jewish community, passed away peacefully at The Gardens of Blenman Elm in Tucson, Arizona, on September 19, 2022, at the age of 87.

He was born to Frances and Israel Brodsky on August 1,1935 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is survived by his sisters Claire Kaplan (Howard, deceased) of Lakewood, Florida and Rosalie Hanson (Robert) of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His beloved older brother, Avrom (Rosetta) of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, predeceased Daniel’s death on September 7, 2022.

Dan was a devoted father to Mark Howard Brodsky (1955-1959), Terry Wayne Brodsky of Olympia, Washington, and Phyllis Eileen Brodsky of Tucson, Arizona. He was grandfather to Mariel Brodsky and Arianna Brodsky of Tucson, Arizona.

Daniel graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in architecture. He remained a Sooners football fan throughout his life. He began his career in Phoenix, Arizona and became a highly acclaimed, award-winning residential architect and founder of his firm, Daniel Brodsky, A.I.A, Architect and Assoc., Inc.

Daniel moved to Del Mar, California, in 1996 where he enjoyed being outdoors and playing tennis daily. He was an avid private pilot and delighted in flying his airplane, a Cessna 182, around the country where he accrued over 5,000 hours of flying time. As a pilot, Dan donated his time as a Deputy Sheriff for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Air Posse and went on many searches looking for people lost in the desert.

Daniel began volunteer work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in the foster care system in Phoenix and continued this work in San Diego by advocating for many children to get the support and services that they needed. He also served as a volunteer for the Jewish Community Center’s Big Brother program where he helped his “little brother” become a bar mitzvah. Despite barriers, Daniel assured that his little brother was able to give a speech.

Daniel was an avid keyboardist and loved listening to and playing music of all genres including country western, classical, Israeli, and Hasidic music which he performed publicly.

He loved many pets over the years including Yorkshire terriers, West Highland White Terriers, a Labradoodle, a cockatiel, and a cockatoo, Many of his pets were named for his favorite Phoenix Suns basketball team.

Dan traveled to Israel for the first time in 2002. The trip changed his life forever. He returned to Israel many times and became the co-founder of the San Diego Chapter of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). He took great pride in donating scholarships to combat soldiers and kept in close contact with them over the years, attending college graduations, weddings and watching their children grow. He volunteered many times on army bases in Israel as a Sar-El (Service to Israel) volunteer, and as a tennis instructor at K’far Nofesh, the rest and recreation base of the IDF in Ashkelon, Israel. He took each of his children to Israel so they could directly experience the culture, history, and people.

Daniel also played his keyboard every Sunday at the House of Israel for several years.

At the end of his life, Daniel succumbed to the devastating disease of Lewy body dementia which robbed him of the things he most cherished, his wife, Nina Brodsky, his family, his humor, his intelligence, his dedication to Israel, and his absolute zest for life. Daniel will not be remembered for the way he died, but rather the way he lived his life, on his own terms and to the beat of his own drum.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (www.fidf.org) and/or the Lewy Body Dementia Organization (lbda.org/donate).