Daniel “Dan” Davis Young

September 1, 1961 – June 16, 2025

Daniel “Dan” Davis Young, 63, of Lincoln, Nebraska, passed away of an unexpected medical episode on June 16, 2025.

Dan was born on September 1, 1961, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Richard and Marilyn Young (Davis), both of whom preceded him in death. He was the second of two sons and is survived by his older brother, Rick Young of Clive, IA, and Rick’s partner in life, Diane Baker.

Dan spent his early years in West Des Moines before relocating to Lincoln in 1978 during his junior year of high school. He graduated from Lincoln East High School in 1980 and went on to attend the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1985. He often joked that he “crammed four years of college into five.”

After college, Dan began his full-time career as a claims adjuster, following in the footsteps of his father and brother, when he joined Ohio Casualty in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1986. A year later, in a moment that would change his life forever, a friend convinced him to place a “man seeking woman” ad in the newspaper. Cynthia Chavez answered that ad, and on December 30, 1987, Dan and Cynthia were married.

Together, they built a life marked by love, faith, and adventure. Dan and Cynthia had two sons: Aaron Young (married to Dani since 2012), and Joshua Young of Fremont. He was a proud and deeply involved grandfather to Caleb, Bethany, and Eve, his greatest joy.

The Young family moved many times over the years, living in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Cincinnati, Plano, and finally settling in Lincoln, Nebraska in the spring of 2001, where they have lived ever since.

Dan was a man of many interests. He loved fishing, hunting, playing guitar, going to movies, and attending church events. A man who could never seem to sit still unless in front of a good fan, he also found deep fulfillment in his work at UnitedHealthcare, where he helped guide seniors with their insurance needs, a role that allowed his compassion and patience to shine.

He was a man of unwavering faith and loved the Lord deeply. Dan also loved his family ferociously, never missing a chance to tell his sons how proud he was of them and constantly boasting about his grandkids to anyone who would listen.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Marilyn Young of West Des Moines, Iowa; his in-laws, Domingo and Florinda Chavez of Roswell, New Mexico; and his daughter- in-law’s father, Randy Shackleton of Grand Island, Nebraska.

A memorial service to celebrate Dan’s life will be held on September 1, 2025—his 64th birthday—at 11: 00 AM, at Elevate Church, 8251 Pioneers Blvd, Lincoln, NE 68506, followed by his favorite meal in his honor.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made in Dan’s honor to Conviction for Christ Ministries, a ministry close to his heart that shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ with prisoners across the United States. Donations may be made online at: https://pushpay.com/g/convictionforchristministries