Daniel "Dan" G. Contento

Daniel Contento, age 90, a long-time independent insurance agent with offices in Wickliffe for over 50 years, passed away December 9, 2020. Mr. Contento was owner of the Dan Contento Insurance Agency, Inc. In 1955, after having a successful career with a large national insurance company, he began his own business from scratch and by cold call selling, going to door to door and business to business to build his own insurance agency. He was long-time member of the Professional Insurance Agents of America.

He was a successful small business man and active in community affairs. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, son and brother. He touched many families, friends and thousands of clients during his sixty plus years as a family insurance man. He was a past resident of Wickliffe, Willoughby Hills, and after retirement, in the winter, split his time between Englewood, FL and Fairport Harbor.

He moved to Wickliffe with his family in 1956 and was an early member of the Wickliffe Midget Football League and served as its commissioner for several years. He was active in Wickliffe city politics and in the 1960’s, he served on the Wickliffe Zoning Board of Appeals and the Architectural Board.

In 1964, he campaigned for and was elected as Ward 4 Councilman to the Wickliffe City Council and served two terms, four years. The high point of his career and he was proud of the fact that he was responsible for securing by eminent domain procedures the present Twin Lakes Park. He served two terms on the Wickliffe City Council then decided not to seek re-election in order to spend more time with his family and business.

He attended the University of California while serving in the military, under the U.S. Air Force “Operation Boot Strap” program at that time. A Korean War Veteran, he served 28 months overseas while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Dan was a life member of The American Legion Wickliffe Post #7, where for 15 years he was the writer and editor of the monthly post newsletter, “The Gas Bag.” He also served for many years as chairman of the Americanism and Buckeye Boys State committees. He was also a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4358 in Willoughby Hills and a past member of the Eagles and Moose Lodges.

Dan was a 40 year plus member of the Cleveland, Northeast and Willoughby YMCA’s. He played handball for those years until his knees and shoulders wore out. Handball was his joy that he shared with many players and friends of the same passion.

He loved gardening and he willingly shared his produce with friends, clients and family. It was not unusual for him to bring a bushel of produce into the office in the morning and offer it for free on a first come first serve basis to have it disappear by noon. Dan loved to read and write, he wrote many poems, short stories and wrote a family history for his descendants.

His first loving wife of 46 years, Janice (nee Baizel) Contento, passed away in 1999. He is survived by his second loving wife, Judith (nee Stacey) Contento; his sons, Mark (Rose), Michael, John (Sue); daughter-in-law, Joyce Contento; his seven grandchildren, Mark (Dorit), Brian, Melanie (Tanner) Coleman, Donald, Ashley Paolillo (Frank), Dylan, Evan Contento and four great grandchildren, Gabriella, Hailey, Jacob and Zachery; step-children, Laurie Stacey, Eric (Becky) Stacey; step-grandchildren, Amy (Tony) Pinette and Stephen. Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Lucy and Costanzo; son, Donald and sisters Faye Conen and Emily Ware.

No Flowers! Because Dan was grateful to the Cleveland Clinic for the excellent medical care that he received in which he felt extended his life, the family suggests contributions in his memory to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195 or to your favorite charity.

The family will receive friends at The Orlando-Donsante-Previte Funeral Home 29550 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., where a funeral service will be held at 7:30 p.m. (Masks Required with Social Distancing and Occupancy Limits). Private Inurnment will be in All Souls Cemetery in Chardon Twp. at a later date.

To leave condolences for the family, please visit www.orlandodonsanteprevitefh.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Daniel "Dan" G. Contento, please visit our floral store.