Dan grew up in Austin and the German farming community outside Austin called  Pflugerville.  He is a cradle Methodist.  A graduate of Texas A&M University with a bachelor degree in construction serving as a construction site engineer for an engineering and commercial construction company in Dallas prior to the ministry.  He is a graduate of Perkins School of Theology, SMU University receiving a Masters of Theology degree and has the Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University, Madison, New Jersey.
Dan has served churches in the North Texas Conference in Sherman, Mount Vernon,  Dallas, Irving, Duncanville and Sulphur Springs.  He has been on the Walk to Emmaus sitting at the table of Luke and served as a clergy leader on numerous walks since.

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He has been in Comedy Theater with parts ranging from the hollow-headed young husband in the classic, “As You Like It,” to playing the “heavy” in melodramas.  He has participated in children’s theater playing various characters including a talking horse.  For the record, and contrary to many opinions, Dan played the horses’ front end!
Dan retired in the North Texas Conference in 2008 from the daily administration and demands of pastor in the local church after 36 years of service.  He was trained by the Texas Annual Conference for serving assignments as an Intentional Interim pastor.  He has been assigned to Interim pastorates in Kilgore, Jefferson, Marshall, Tyler and Longview.  Dan is a member of the national organization the Transitional Intentional Interim Ministry Specialists Association (TIIMSA).  He is frequently available to fill-in for pastors in illness and time away on Sunday.

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He volunteers as a mentor for the Certified Lay Ministers who are assigned a church to pastor in the North District of the Texas Annual Conference.  
He is married to Myrna Hoke a native of Arkansas.  She has been active in church work serving as a volunteer and paid staff member. For eleven years Myrna and Dan led high country pack trips for Senior High students into the Pecos Wilderness in the Santé Fe National Forest.  Myrna has founded and developed two successful home wall paper and decorating business which were left behind or sold when their church moves occurred.  She has taught courses in decorating in Grayson County Community College.  She has opened and managed two Tea-House restaurants.  She is a certified workshop leader for parenting education programs sponsored by the Division of Family Ministries in the United Methodist Church.  She is a Master Gardner.  Her greatest source of pride and joy is as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children serving with the lake Country CASA in Sulphur Springs and Harrison County, Texas.  
Dan and Myrna’s life is definitely in the country, the woods in fact, on their timber farm about 12 miles East of Jefferson, Texas.