From Daniel Lee Nernberg:
Hymie, Nernberg, better known as Danny, was born March 11, 1930 in Chicago and left us in body, but never in spirit on Saturday. His parents, Aaron and Mary Nerenberg, immigrated to the United States from Europe. Depending on the stability of the Polish and Russian governments of any given day, they were Polish or Russian. On most days, they were from Poland. He was the younger of two brothers, Sid and Leo. Having more hope than money, the family relocated from Chicago to Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Life was cold and each day Danny and his brothers fended for themselves, their mother and father. Each day was a reminder that they barely survived on welfare. Other children had decent shoes. Danny wore hand-me-down shoes from Sid and Leo… that they got from the Salvation Army. By the time they got to Danny, the shoes had no soles. To keep warm, they walked along the railroad tracks looking for coal that sometimes fell from the trains, and then took it home to burn.
One, the boys got inside a train car and were thrilled to find boxes of candy which turned out to be a laxative. Joy quickly turned to desperation as they fought to use the toilet. They attended welfare summer camp where they were treated to lettuce for the first time, they sung and got a glimpse of what life could be outside of poverty.
He volunteered for the army and served 13 months and 13 days. Danny fought for our country in Korea. He and dozens of other soldiers were attacked. Only he and two others in his platoon survived. The three of them walked for days keeping out of sight and climbed over mountains until making it back to friendly forces.
After returning home, he married Marlene Alpert. They had three children Joe (Arnold), Joanne and Daniel (who was absolutely adorable). With only a few hundred dollars and a station wagon, they made their way to Los Angeles, Shortly thereafter; Patti was born (who was almost as adorable as her brother Danny).
Choosing plumbing as a means of providing for his family, he eventually became a licensed contractor and owned his own company. He used to say “it’s better to use your head than your back.” Years of hard work allowed him to purchase income property which he stubbornly managed and maintained himself until June 2013.
His dedication, determination and hard work were rewarded by fishing in Mexico. Coincidentally, he always returned from Cabo San Lucas right before his birthday. Danny also traveled to Alaska and always returned with huge packages of fish which he gave away to anyone who said they like fish.
Until he was physically unable to, he would do his morning stretches and pull-ups in his backyard. Then he would ride his bike along the beach, swim laps and work out at the gym every day. Other than biking, this was his routine until early 2013.
Because of his upbringing, he never lost sight of where he began. Dad always bonded best with those who were less fortunate. He would rather give clothing and fish to families who struggled, rather than driving a fancy car with flashy clothes. His dress attire was mostly sweat pants, a t-shirt and a cap.
Danny’s stubborn nature may have been due to his difficult upbringing and his ability to overcome obstacles. One of the many examples he’s set for his family was to always try your best with whatever you do in life. Then everything will be all right.
Besides loving and being survived by his four kids, he equally loved his four grandchildren Melanie, David, Brent and Austin. All wonderful kids with a little of their grandpa in them. His entire family will deeply miss him and loves him very much.