Daniel Lawrence Contarini, 71, of Washington, Mo., died Sept. 29, 2024. Mr. Contarini started a career in law enforcement in 1980 as a reserve police officer at the Kirkwood Police Department and then worked as either a police officer, patrol officer, K9 officer, DARE instructor, sergeant and lieutenant at several departments, including the Cuba Police Department, the Washington Police Department and University of Missouri-St. Louis before working as a sergeant and assistant chief at the De Soto Police Department and as a reserve officer at the New Haven Police Department. He ended his career training as a police chaplain with the Meramec Area Chaplaincy Coalition and then as a reserve officer and chaplain for the Washington Police Department and Rosebud Police Department and instructor and a chaplain for the Eastern Missouri Police Academy.
Mr. Contarini also worked for the Washington Ambulance District as an EMT for a period early in his career, and during retirement, he worked as a security officer for Mercy Hospital Washington. In 2021 he was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, which led to his final retirement. He has served on the Washington Board of Education for 12 years and was a foster parent.
Mr. Contarini loved spending time with family, and he loved animals, including his dogs Maddie, Manford, Max and Stanley. He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, bravery and compassion for others. Born May 11, 1953, in St. Louis, he was the son of the late Lawrence Contarini and Gladys (Elston) Contarini.
He is survived by his wife: Kim (Minnich) Contarini of Washington, Mo.; two daughters: Leslie (Manuel Chinellato) Contarini of Venice, Italy, and Sarah Contarini (Michael) Barone of St. Louis; a son: Jonathan (fiancee Lisa Milton) Contarini of Washington, Mo.; two grandchildren: Rocco and Scarlett Barone of St. Louis; his ex-wife and best friend: Cheryl Hamilton of Washington, Mo.; and many extended family members, first responders and friends.
Visitation is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at Nieburg-Vitt, Miller Funeral Home, 1206 Jefferson St., in Washington, Mo. A funeral Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 1014 Madison Ave., in Washington, Mo. Inurnment will follow at St. Francis Borgia Cemetery in Washington, Mo. Memorials may be made to the Backstoppers at backstoppers.org/donate/. Arrangements are under the direction of Nieburg-Vitt, Miller Funeral Home.