Dan Schmucker, 80, of Nazareth, Texas, passed from his earthly life to his forever home with his Heavenly Father on Monday, December 16, 2019. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 11:00 AM at Holy Family Catholic Church in Nazareth with Rev. Bhaskar Adusupalli, Deacon Bob Birkenfeld and Deacon Joe Hochstein as celebrants. Burial will follow in Holy Family Cemetery under the care of Colonial Funeral Home of Dimmitt. Rosary/Vigil services are scheduled for Friday, December 20, 2019 at 7:00 PM at Holy Family Church in Nazareth. Daniel J. Schmucker was born in Nazareth on February 23, 1939 to Joe and Amy (Gerber) Schmucker. Upon graduation from Nazareth High School, Dan served briefly in the Army Reserve and subsequently started farming southwest of the community. He married Ethel Drerup at Holy Family Catholic Church on October 25, 1960. Together they acquired land southwest of Nazareth and built their home, where they resided until his passing. They had recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. In addition to being a lifelong farmer, Dan served as a Castro County Commissioner for eighteen years. He was an active member of the Holy Family Parish, the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Senior Citizens Association, and the Nazareth Lions Club. Dan had also served on the Nazareth ISD school board in the1970's. He served as the coach of the very first Little League team in Nazareth and volunteered as a Little League, Babe Ruth, and "Irrigation League" umpire for many years afterward. Although he was in fact a gentle giant of a man, baseball players rarely argued his calls, as he was always known to be fair and impartial in addition to being an intimidating figure on the field and behind the plate. A lover of country music, he was the original guitar player for the Melody Six band that was based out of his community, where they played and harmonized at wedding dances for several years. The late great John Denver, Eddy Arnold, Mel Tillis, Marty Robbins, and Ernest Tubb were among his favorite "real" country singers, and Dan was an expert in distinguishing which country music was "real". First and foremost, Dan was a family man, but he loved sports as much as anyone ever has. Rumor has it that he was born with a baseball in one hand and a basketball in the other. When he could no longer play competitive sports, he watched the same, having three sons, two daughters, countless nieces and nephews, and eleven grandchildren who all shared his love of competition. He was the consummate sports fan. His favorite teams were the Nazareth Swifts and Swiftettes locally, but he loved the Los Angeles Dodgers, and even in their bad years he remained the most avid of Dodger fans. Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Amy Schmucker, sister, Beatrice Hoelting, brother, Jim Schmucker, all of Nazareth, and brother Gene Schmucker of Sanger, TX. He is survived by his wife, Ethel Schmucker of Nazareth; son, Jeff and wife Debby of Rockwall, daughter, Danelle Schmucker of Amarillo, son, Marvin and wife Gwen of Nazareth, daughter, Annette Loflin and husband Brent of Friona, and son Brian Schmucker and wife DeeDee of Shallowater. His grandchildren are Collin, Candace, and Cameron Schmucker, Carson and Bailee Barber, Abby and April Schmucker, Mason and Logan Loflin, and Presley and Mason Eaker. He is also survived by one brother, Ray Schmucker and wife Mary Lou of Nazareth; and sisters, Mary Ann Schulte and Janet Schmucker of Nazareth. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Future of Nazareth Fund, Box 182, Nazareth, Texas, 79063, Nazareth Lions Club, Box 354, Nazareth, Texas 79063 or Nazareth Senior Citizens, Box 241, Nazareth, Texas, 79063.