Dan Dolphin, 71, passed away on April 6 surrounded by his family. He was born in Shenandoah, PA, and raised in Newark, DE. Dan is a graduate of Christiana High School in Newark where he was a pitcher on the baseball team, and quarterback and defensive back on its football team. Turning down an offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dan attended West Virginia University on a baseball scholarship. He pitched from 1972-1975 and was named the team’s MVP in 1974. He majored in Physical Education and after graduation he was a teacher and head football coach at Calvert High School in Maryland.
Dan took a job with IBM in Baltimore before returning to WVU to attain a master’s degree in safety sciences in 1979. Dan’s jobs led the family to OH, MD, GA, and PA working in Human Resources for Anchor Hocking Glass Company, MCI, Island Creek Coal Company, Jered Brown Brothers, Ingersoll Dresser Pump Company, and Buckeye Partners. Following his 25 years in the business world, Dan combined his passions of teaching and coaching at Allentown Central Catholic High School, becoming the head coach of the boys’ varsity lacrosse team and a physical education/health teacher.
Dan played an instrumental role in growing lacrosse in the Lehigh Valley. He started the Bethlehem Lacrosse Club, comprising students from Bethlehem Catholic, Freedom, and Liberty High Schools, each having no team. Dan co-founded the Lehigh Valley Steel Lacrosse Club, the first travel club team of its kind in the area. These experiences primed him for his coaching career at Central Catholic. In his 14 years at ACCHS, Dan coached his teams to more than 200 wins, five District XI championships, and one EPC Conference Championship. In his final season, Central won the 2021 PIAA Class 2A state championship -- -- the first District XI team to achieve this feat. He was named The Morning Call Coach of the Year multiple times, and the PhillyLacrosse.com Lehigh Valley/Northeast region Coach of the Year in 2021. Not bad for a former collegiate baseball player who never played in a lacrosse game himself. In 2022, Dan was inducted into Central Catholic's prestigious Rockne Wall of Fame.
Dan was a true man of the community. He and his wife hosted several Chinese international students attending Central Catholic. Dan enjoyed introducing them to new experiences: trips to the beach and Washington, D.C., Thanksgiving and Christmas family gatherings. He loved them like his own children. His genuine kindness and love of life was infectious. His ability to make the best of a difficult situation was unmatched. Even in his last days, he found ways to joke and smile. He often voiced that while he wanted his students to excel academically and athletically, he wanted them to, above all, be upstanding members of society. He truly desired to make a positive impact in all he encountered. Bordering on comical, it was difficult to go anywhere without Dan running into someone he knew. This is a testament to his character as he would form a connection with strangers in minutes. Kevin Bacon has six degrees of separation. Dan has five.
Dan was a jack-of-all-trades, starting his own roofing company at the age of 16. When he wasn’t spending his teenage summers on the Delaware seashore, he was becoming proficient in plumbing and electrical work. These skills came in handy while renovating several real estate properties.
His love for West Virginia University was unmatched. He served as the WVU Alumni Eastern PA Chapter Organizer. On a fall afternoon, Dan could be found at a WVU football game tailgating with friends and
enjoying a cold rum and Diet Coke. Dan will always be remembered for his selflessness, infectious smile and laugh, storytelling, and knack for igniting a good time. And, lest we forget, a well-worn WVU hat.
Dan is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sue Dolphin of Ponte Vedra, FL; his sons, Joshua Dolphin of Bethlehem, PA, Dr. Tyler Dolphin of Sarasota, FL; his brother, John Dolphin and his wife, Shawn of Hendersonville, NC; David Dolphin and his partner, Charlotte Dixon of Bend, OR; his sister, Diane Dolphin Rocker of Melbourne, FL; brother-in-law, Dr. Robert Campbell and his wife, Nancy of Charleston, WV; his sisters-in-law, Julia Campbell of Canton, GA, Patricia Campbell of Charleston, WV, and Melissa France and her husband, John of South Charleston, WV; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Helen.
SERVICE: A Celebration of Life will be held between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at Allentown Central Catholic High School's Rockne Hall.
MEMORIAL GIFTS may be made in Dan's memory to the following organizations:
Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania for the ACCHS Dan Dolphin Memorial Fund (to support the lacrosse and physical education programs) either online at catholicfoundationep.org OR mail to the Catholic Foundation Eastern PA PO Box 1430 Allentown, PA 18105. Questions: 610-554-1941.
OR the Wounded Warrior Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org)
OR the Allentown Rescue Mission, 355 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101.
