Daniel A. Yarussi Passed away March 7, 2002 14:30

Services aree to be held at Westminster Memorial Park "Lakeside Chapel" Saturday March 16th at 1:00 PM with Military Honers.. Address 14801 Beach Blvd. near Bolsa.

Reception following at his home at 15441 Webster St. Westinster. PH. Telephone (714) 531-3656

Daniel Yarussi came into this world on April 22, 1922. He grew up in Westfield New Jersey and joined the Civilian Conservation Corp. where he helped build this nations railroad in Mohave California.

He met his wife Doris the love of his life and left at the age of 21 when his nation called him to arms during World War 2. He served in the United States Navy aboard the destroyer tender USS Altair from 1942 through 1945 and helped defend our nation against foreign aggressors in the Atlantic from Bermuda to Trinidad. The memories and time he spent in the United State Navy remained with him and he often spoke of serving his country and being in "The Greatest Navy in The World". While on leave in June 1944 he married Doris and had a son in March of 45.

Daniel took on the profession of his father in construction and worked as a lather then sheetrocker for over 50 years. Daniel was proud of his profession and was considered the best in Southern California often being asked to perform his craft on homes requiring his special and unique artistic approach. He was an innovator and techniques he developed during his years at work are now standard in the industry.

Daniel was also a cartoonist and unknown except to a few are that his work is exhibited on the backs of walls in thousands of homes and business throughout Southern California and Catalina Island including President Nixon's home in San Clemente.

He was an avid fisherman and loved the time he spent on the ocean. He was a story teller and often captured the attention of friends and acquaintances with his personal style and unique sense of humor

USS Altair AD-11 (Destroyer Tender )7 December 1941 - May 1945

After the Japanese surprise attack upon the Pactfic Fleet at Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. Altair maintained a routine of carrying out upkeep and repair work on Atlantic Fleet destroyers at Bermuda that continued into the summer of 1942. Underway for San Juan, Puerto Rico on 3 July 1942, escorted by the destroyers Bernadou (DD-153) and Cole (DD-155), Altair arrived at her destination on the 6th detaching the two destroyers and picking up another, Hilary P. Jones (DD - 28), which escorted the tender of Trinidad, where she arrived on 11 July. Except for brief periods at Aruba and Curaeao, in the Dutch West Indies, in early September, Altair tended destroyers at Trinidad through mid-July 1943.

Following an availability at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Altair reported to Commander, Operational Training Command, Atlantic Fleet, on 21 August 1943 and soon resumed active tender operations at Bermuda this time in support of the destroyer and destroyer escort shakedown group (Task Group 23.1) until shifted to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where she arrived on 11 March 1945. Providing tender services at "Gitmo" until 3 May 1945, Altair then proceeded back to the Norfolk Navy Yard to be prepared for service in the Pacific theater. While the ship proceeded on her voyage, Germany surrendered unconditionally and the European war came to an end.