Daniel Charles Stemple was born August 7, 1950, in Keyser, West Virginia, to Adrian and Patricia Stemple.
In the 1960s, his family moved to Comins, Michigan, where they opened and operated Stemple’s IGA in Fairview. Dan helped in the store, visited with customers, played cards with friends, and enjoyed basketball and baseball while attending Fairview High School.
Dan had two children from a previous marriage, Dee and Danny. After high school, he drove logging trucks for Stemple Trucking, a business owned and operated by his father. In 1972, he moved his family to Aurora, West Virginia, where he worked alongside his dad as a construction worker and heavy equipment mechanic while helping build Interstate 79. He later returned briefly to Michigan and worked at H&Y Garage before moving back to Morgantown, where he drove a cement truck for CMI Concrete and later worked in management with Hoy Redi-Mix.
On March 16, 1978, Dan married Elaine, and they made their home in Morgantown, West Virginia. Dan later felt called into ministry. He attended Duke University and became an ordained Reverend in the United Methodist Church. For more than 20 years, he served churches throughout West Virginia wherever God led him. He also took part in mission trips to the Philippines, Romania, and Haiti, and helped with stateside mission work after floods and tornadoes.
Dan enjoyed hunting, gardening, fixing things, spending time with his grandchildren, and he had a big sweet tooth. After retiring from ministry in 2013 in Keyser, West Virginia, he owned and managed apartment complexes. He also worked evenings as a durability test driver for a car manufacturer and drove a city transit bus. Even after retirement, he continued helping others whenever he could.
In October 2022, Dan moved to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, to be closer to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. While living in Prairie Grove, he became a member of the Prairie Grove Lions Club. He and Elaine attended the United Methodist Church, where they made many close friends, including Steve and Mary Bartholomew. Dan enjoyed the Bean Boys gatherings, the Lincoln Rodeo, square dancing, and attending school, church, and sporting events for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He later became Reverend at Morrow United Methodist Church, where he faithfully served during the past year until his passing. One of his greatest joys in recent months was his miniature dachshund, Reesey.
He was preceded in death by his father, Adrian Stemple; mother, Patricia Stemple; brother, Tom Stemple; daughter-in-law, Brandi Stemple; and stepdaughter, Marcia Webster.
Dan is survived by his wife, Elaine Stemple of Prairie Grove; daughter Dee (Darrin) Wright; son Daniel Stemple II; grandchildren Lauren (Rodney) Bailey, Tanner (Daley) Wright, Blayne (Hannah) Stemple, Bayler (Alex) Stemple, and Chad (Lauren) Webster; great-grandchildren Brooks, Brayden, Penny, Lane, Reese, Graham, Crosby, Wren, Piper, and Parker; sisters Connie Fish, Debbie (Jack) Kimble, and Shelley (Jon) Welch; brother John (Patricia) Stemple; and sister-in-law Billie Stemple.
A celebration of life service will be held May 31, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church.
A later celebration of life will be held in Aurora, West Virginia, in August.