Daniel “Danny” Lee Hyatt, 76, of Decatur, Alabama passed away peacefully at his home on May 14, 2026. Born on December 8, 1949 in Cullman County, Danny’s first home was the jailhouse where his father was the deputy sheriff and his grandfather was the sheriff. Danny was the eldest child of Rayford and Mary Louise Hyatt. He spent most of his early childhood in Courtland and his youth living in Bankhead National Forest. His father, a game warden, ran the conservation officer station at “Turkey Foot” where they lived. Danny spent countless hours fishing, playing in the streams and exploring the forest with his sister Shirley and brother Robert “Bobby.” It was also during that time that he met his lifelong friend Kermett Nelson with whom he shared the same birthday and a friendship that continued including daily calls into his last days.
Danny graduated from Lawrence County High School, where he was president of the chess club, and then attended Calhoun Community College. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam as a radio repair technician. After Vietnam, he went on to work as a carpenter and then an electrician and electrical draftsman for over 40 years. He felt very lucky to have found work that he truly enjoyed.
He met his wife Sonja Gilliland in Chemistry class while they were both attending Calhoun Community College. They were married in 1971 and had a devoted partnership for over 55 years. Despite Sonja’s family’s concern that he was Catholic, a different faith from their own, Danny proved himself to be a kind, devoted, and beloved son-in-law/brother-in-law. He had a strong moral compass and even refused to drive over the speed limit, because “it ain’t right.”
Known for his intense curiosity and love of reading, he was called “The Encyclopedia” by his children Brian and Julie who knew that they could ask him about any topic, and he would have something substantive to say about it. When he and Sonja purchased a set of World Book Encyclopedias in the 1980’s, he read them from cover to cover along with National Geographic magazines, maps, and Audubon field guides. He was also known to stay up through the night reading science fiction and fantasy novels. When VCRs came out, he was an early adopter and would rent a player and several cassettes at once to have a movie marathon with his family.
When he wasn’t working, reading, or watching movies and tv, he was known to enjoy trips in the outdoors with his family camping at Spring Creek each summer, fishing, sailing in his two-man sailboat, spelunking in caves in Morgan County, hiking to the big poplar in the Sipsey Wilderness, wading in the backwaters looking for orphaned ducklings to rescue after heavy rains, or out on his boat teaching his children and their friends to water ski. The whole world was an opportunity to teach his children about the things in life that were interesting to him.
One of his greatest pleasures was spending time with his family. He and Sonja were active in planning and crewing during the hot air balloon jubilee with their children for many years. They also attended almost every softball, hockey, baseball game or tennis match that their children and grandchildren participated in. His love of sports and dedication to attending Decatur High School basketball games with Sonja earned them an award for Fans of the Year in the nineties. He shared a love for baseball with his oldest grandson and attended almost every one of Reese’s games. He also enjoyed the time spent bonding with his youngest grandson Benji sitting on his lap, playing Chess and Solitaire. Danny was also delighted to attend Grissom High School theater productions to watch his granddaughter Noelle on stage.
One of the greatest blessings of his life was that his son Brian, daughter-in-law Teresa and grandchildren Noelle and Reese lived near him and saw him frequently. They spent almost every birthday and holiday together. He also enjoyed extended visits multiple times a year with his daughter Julie, son-in-law Mike, and grandson Benji.
He was very opinionated about politics and loved to argue with his daughter who had quite the opposite viewpoints. Yet at the same time, he could stop in his tracks and say “It don’t matter” when things became too heated. Time and again, he demonstrated that his love was greater than any difference between the two of them.
Of course, no story of his life would be complete without mentioning his “resource pile.” He loved to collect things. Anything. In the last year of his life, he would ride with his grandsons Benji and Reese around the property on the Gator and count the number of various items he had collected over the years. On many occasions, his resources contained just the piece needed to repair a broken item. On others he was able to create a contraption to be used on the land. Memories of grandpaw/papaw and his kind presence are as abundant as his resources.
Danny is survived by his wife Sonja, his children Brian (Teresa) and Julie (Mike Kaufman), grandchildren Noelle, Reese, and Benji, sister Shirley Robinson (Gary) and brother Bobby, and cousins, nieces and nephews. Danny was preceded in death by his granddaughter Makaila, his parents Rayford and Mary Louise, his grandparents, his aunts and uncles, and his cousins Sonya and Lee.
There will be a visitation (only) on Monday, May 18 5-7pm at Parkway Funeral Home at 23599 AL-24, Trinity, Alabama 35673.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to an animal rescue or shelter in his name in honor of the special relationship he had with his beloved pets.
His spirit will live on in the curiosity, steadfast love, and joyful adventures he shared with his family and friends.
