Daniel Lee Clem, 65, suddenly passed into the arms of our Lord on Saturday, February 17. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, children Kira and Kristian, his sister Debbie Mudge (Wayne), sister-in-law, Faye Grubbs (Richard), brother-in-law, Richard Nuckols (Donna), and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial for Dan will be held this Saturday, February 24, at 11:00 at Hope Church, 770 Pineloch Dr., Houston, TX 77062. Family will receive friends and family for visitation at the church at 10:00 am. The memorial service will be followed by a light lunch afterwards. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hope Church.

Dan was born in Phoenix, Arizona on January 31, 1959. His father, Wesley, a pastor, and mother, Joanne served in local churches throughout his life. His family moved to Colorado, and then to Sandy, Utah in 1967, where over the years, Dan enjoyed hiking and skiing in the scenic mountains. Through this time too, during his teen years at his father’s Berean Baptist Church, Dan found peace in “a place where God’s word is faithfully taught.” His one constant – his supportive family and the Word they taught – would forever shape his lifelong service and sacrifice to his Lord and Savior.
Dan’s formative years in Utah also offered many opportunities to realize his varied interests in all sorts of areas. Evident early on was Dan’s love for engineering when, in junior high, he joined the committee to design a new junior high school. He played the trumpet in marching band, and was on the wrestling team in high school. Always an avid reader and chess player, he excelled scholastically too, teaching himself Russian and taking math classes at the University of Utah while still in high school.
Dan earned an engineering degree from the University of Houston, and soon afterward accomplished a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Stanford University in half the time of the normal student. His zest for learning never ceased and he was always up to the challenge of a new adventure. It was in college, that the cooking “bug” took hold and he declared himself “Master Chef” in a favorite photo.
Nearing his 1984 graduation from Stanford, Dan received a recruitment offer from NASA that brought him back to Houston.
The 1980’s decade held a lot of promises for Dan. Not only did he start work at the prestigious organization of NASA, but he joined the Texas National Guard, assigned to the 386th Engineering Battalion, while also training with Airborne. This selfless act with its many sacrifices truly epitomizes John 15:13, laying down his life for his friends.
Dan’s middle years were filled with raising kids, serving as a pillar in his church, a dedicated worker at NASA, and a trusted citizen of the community. Hope Church was a second home to Dan for nearly 25 years. He served there as both a respected Deacon and Elder during that time; he ministered at the youth and childrens’ level, joined numerous mission trips, and immersed himself in just about any other church activity. Dan led a life of service to all he knew and worked with.
His service and dedication extended to his workplace where his love for reading, teamed with that for writing, resulted in his leading a team to successfully complete the re-write of a 600 page “legalese” NASA safety document and transform it into more applicable and coherent layman terms. Dan’s role in this tremendous initiative earned him the “Plain Language” award in 1999; then Vice President of the United States, Al Gore, personally presented Dan with the award in Washington, D.C.
The award was one of many that Dan received in his 40 years in Federal Civilian Service, all of them at NASA. The organization, in 2019, recognized Dan’s leadership and valuable contributions with the Johnson’s Space Center’s Director’s Commendation Award; he was promoted to Procurement Manager as recently as December 2023.
He met the love of his life, Dorothy, who became his wife in 1987, and together, they raised two children, Kira and Kristian, at their home in Clear Lake. After 36 years of marriage, “Forever My Love Bug,” was Dan’s sentiment for Dorothy on this year’s Valentine’s gift. He was the steady rock in their family as they faced incredible challenges.
For most who were fortunate to know Dan in his lifetime cut too short, they would probably describe him as being a quiet, thoughtful man with a big heart, an intelligent mind, a boyish grin, and subtle yet playful sense of humor. He could and would give selflessly of his time and talents to reach, teach, and be impactful for those he knew. His way was to shine through the glory of God and impart His Word in all avenues of life, making a positive difference in all the lives he touched. Dan will truly be missed.

A memorial for Dan will be held this Saturday, February 24, at 11:00 at Hope Church, 770 Pineloch Dr., Houston, TX 77062. Family will receive friends and family for visitation at the church at 10:00 am. The memorial service will be followed by a light lunch afterwards. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hope Church.