Dan Mooney

Beloved past-president and "Master of Gold Leaf" passed away on Sunday, March 8th, 2026.

The loss of Dan Mooney from within the Masscribes and even broader calligraphy network has hit a lot of us with sadness and awareness of what a talented artist he was and a fun human being.

Dan died in March after two surgeries and ongoing treatment for glioblastoma. He convalesced in two places with loving siblings, first his sister, Joan, and finally at the home of his brother, Jim. Dan was the oldest of 7, and it's so clear how closely knit they all were. He was 70 years young and faced his illness and fate with typical nonchalance. He would say to me, "I'm dying, but it's ok!" always visibly upbeat and carefree despite his circumstances.

It was after Dan's initial surgery that his world unraveled. His devoted husband, Rick, drove, with their dog, Smidgen, from their home on the Cape to see Dan, and, en route, had a medical emergency. No one could have forseen that the car would be totaled, the dog injured, and Rick admitted to Brigham and Women's Hospital, eventually passing away from his dire condition. Through all that tragedy, Dan went on, staying hopeful, living each day with optimism, appreciating family and good wishes from friends.

It's pretty well known how talented Dan was with gilding gold and lettering. He loved teaching and sharing techniques. He pushed himself beyond the apprehension of traveling from isolated Cape Cod, far across the country to teach. And he came to really like it. He challenged himself in the direction of watercolor painting and and became accomplished with amazing attention to realistic details like water droplets on flowers and the delicacy of hydrangea blossoms. He once did a house portrait for a couple from the men's chorus and I remember saying "you don't have to paint the bricks, one by one", but that was his meticulous style!

Then there were his maps with compass roses and fine borders..incredible details and gold, lettering, and often quite large. Dan was famous, too, for certificates of merit and honorary achievements.

I knew Dan loved singing with the Boston Gay Men's Chorus, and did that for about 10 years but at Dan's funeral, I learned for the first time that he had also been a skillful piano player, and that he was a counselor in a youth camp. One boy there who was mute and deaf was in a great deal of pain, but it was Dan who really paid attention and suddenly suspected, correctly, that it was a tooth issue.

The camper had an extraction and the pain was alleved.

A phone call to Dan was always answered with an upbeat greeting. I could hear his smile when he spoke. I loved calling him on my Thursday commutes to my calligraphy class. We would catch up and he would always tell me o say hi to everyone. And a phone call always ended with an "I love you." I like to go back in my mind to those scenarios and hear it again. Love you, Dan....

-written by Chris Roberts