John L. Danay, 97, a resident of Park Vista, East Moline, formerly of Rock Island, died Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Park Vista.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 am Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Rock Island.  Burial will be at the National Cemetery, Arsenal Island, where military honors will be provided by Moline American Legion Post 246.  Visitation is 4 to 7 pm Tuesday at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Rock Island, where a Christian wake  service will be held at 4 pm, followed by the Father Edward J. Bader Assembly Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus chalice ceremony.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Honor Flight of the Quad Cities.

John L. Danay was born Dec. 29, 1918 in Numa, Iowa, one of eight children born to George and Mary Bardar Danay.  He married Helen M. Timm on Jan. 17, 1948 in Davenport.  She died April 19, 2006.

John graduated from Numa High School in 1938.  He worked at John Deere Plow and Planter for 34 years and retired in 1979.

He was drafted into the US Army on June 17, 1941, while living in Winnetka, Ill.  John was a tank gunner with the 3rd Armored Division, landing his tank on Omaha Beach.  The 3rd Armored Division was involved in five European battles, Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe, including The Battle of The Bulge.  His decorations included a Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, and the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with a Silver Star.  He was discharged in 1945.  John was wounded in January 1945 while serving in Belgium.  He was a member of the 3rd Armored Division Association and was past national president and was a founding member of its Mississippi Valley Chapter.  He was on the inaugural flight of Honor Flight of the Quad Cities to Washington D.C.

He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Rock Island, the Allouez Council 658 Knights of Columbus and the Father Edward J. Bader Assembly Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus.  He was also a member of the Moline American Legion Post 246 having served with its Honor Guard, Friends Circle Club, Moline, V.F.W. Post 2153, Moline, Rock Island Elks Lodge 980 and U.A.W. Union Local 434.

Survivors include his children, Stephen (Helen) Danay, Milan, Christine (Christopher) Mortensen, Colona and Larry Danay, Rock Island; grandchildren, Stephen (Molly) Danay Jr., Colona, Joseph (Michelle) Danay, Davenport, Anthony Danay, Pagosa Springs, Colo., Eric Sanders, Colona, Evan (Chelsea) Sanders, Peoria, Ill., Brydon (Camie) Sanders, Silvis, Justin Danay, Silvis, Jennifer Danay, East Moline; step-grandchildren, Kristin Mortensen, Geneseo, Jennifer Mortensen, Galva, Nathan Mortensen, Rock Island: great-grandchildren, Hunter and Jaxon Danay, Brynnynn Sanders; step great-grandchildren; Dominic Mulder, Owyn Mulder, Ellie Mulder, Hazel Ward, Asher Mulder; and sisters-in-law, Donna Danay, Rock Island and Willadean Danay, Muscatine.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; son, Jerry Lee Danay, killed in action in 1971, in Vietnam; infant great-grandchildren, Luke and Molly Danay; sisters, Eva Wyldes, Antonia Davidson and infant sister, Mary Danay; and four brothers, George, Fred, Daniel and Robert Danay.

Online condolences may be left at wheelanpressly.com.