4/22/2023
Daniel Lee Beiler of New Providence died in an accident at home on Saturday, April 22, 2023. He was 12 years old.
He was instantly in the presence of Jesus when a large tree branch snapped in a storm and fell on him. While his homegoing is rejoiced by all who loved him, his death leaves an irreparable tear in the fabric of his family, church, and homeschool communities.
The son of Christian and Anna Beiler, Daniel was born at home in Leola on Feb. 12, 2011. The fourth of six children, he later lived in East Earl and, since 2014, at the family farmette, Rockside Acres on Sawmill Road.
Tall and charming, with a thick head of wild light brown hair punctuated with a shock of blonde from birth, you couldn’t miss Daniel springing through life, a sparkle in his eye, an ever-present smile as big as his heart. At church, at Solanco 4-H, or with the Change Of Pace South homeschool group, he exuded kindness, compassion, and a Christlike love to all he met, assembling a team of young men who became treasured friends. If he wasn’t inviting them up a tree or onto a makeshift football field, you’d find them all in a quiet corner learning to play whatever Pokemon game he’d just invented.
But beyond his love and loyalty to friends and family, Daniel lived a life that pointed to Christ first. At Mt. Vernon Christian Church in Kirkwood, he enthusiastically consumed the weekly Bible teaching at Sunday School and Kidventure Club. He was a light to his classmates, asking questions that spurred colorful discussions. He was exuberant in worship, whether leading his younger brothers and dozens of other children by example with the youth choir or belting out choruses from the third row as his father and sister led singing.
Rockside Acres, with its wooded hillside and active creek, provided unlimited outlets for Daniel’s curiosity and passion for animal science. He enjoyed helping his family raise goats and chickens, grow vegetables, keep bees, and breed puppies, especially with his favorite dog, a Sheltie named Rosie. He was the family’s most prolific strawberry picker. And when his work was done, you could often find him at a neighboring horse farm alongside his brother, Omar, trading chores for riding lessons.
While he loved his homeschool lessons on math and history and honing his archery skills at 4-H, his favorite classroom was the kitchen. He took baking lessons at church and was excited to begin cooking his way through a 4-H cookbook. Two days before he died, he awoke early to make pancakes for his father before he left for work. The night before he passed, he served his family a dinner of homemade chili and cornbread. His dream was to be a chef, helming a family enterprise with his brothers serving as farmer and beekeeper.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his sister, Emma, and his four brothers, John, Omar, Jacob, and Benjamin. He also is survived by his grandmother, Rebecca Beiler of Drumore, his great-grandmother, Katie Beiler, of Drumore, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He was predeceased by his grandparents, Daniel and Rachel Beiler of Leola and John Beiler of Drumore.
Daniel will be interred at the New Providence Mennonite Cemetery, 121 Main St., in a private service. Visitation also is private.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Mt. Vernon Christian Church, 1 Lighthouse Dr., Kirkwood, Pa., led by the Rev. Tony Murrin.
In lieu of flowers, the Beiler family would appreciate donations in Daniel’s memory to the Solanco 4-H, which will cover costs for the less fortunate and help fund the agriculture programs he enjoyed. Checks can be mailed to Lancaster County 4-H, 1383 Arcadia Road, Room 140, Lancaster, Pa., 17601. Please indicate your contribution is for Solanco 4-H.