Friends, our dear friend Kevin Daniels was found in his home last Monday, June 3. He had passed away in his sleep, probably on Sunday morning.
A Celebration of Life will be held on:
Saturday, August 10
4pm - 10pm
Cambridge Masonic Hall
1950 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140.
We will have a... see moreFriends, our dear friend Kevin Daniels was found in his home last Monday, June 3. He had passed away in his sleep, probably on Sunday morning.
A Celebration of Life will be held on:
Saturday, August 10
4pm - 10pm
Cambridge Masonic Hall
1950 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140.
We will have a slideshow, music, board games and lots of food. The Celebration will be kid-friendly, so bring the whole family and let's celebrate Kevin's life.
He is survived by his parents, Anthony and Barbara Daniels, sister Tania Ballantine and brother Chris Daniels.
Kevin's family has asked that his remains be scattered in places he loved. To that end, we will scatter his ashes in Boston, DC, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Singapore and London.
Kevin left us too early but we are all grateful for the time we did have with Kevin. He had a big laugh and a big heart, and we were all better for having known him.
Please help celebrate Kevin's life by contributing stories, photos and videos.
Kevin - Your travel stories and culinary experiments were an inspiration to me. You were always a great listener. I was always excited to hear your predictions on the next Game of Thrones controversy. I was always looking for your suggestions for the... moreKevin - Your travel stories and culinary experiments were an inspiration to me. You were always a great listener. I was always excited to hear your predictions on the next Game of Thrones controversy. I was always looking for your suggestions for the next movie to watch and the best new restaurant in town. You had the ability to find something in common with anyone around you. You always showed great curiosity and willingness to mentor. I am glad to have to know you - thank you very much for showing me how to live life to the fullest. less
The first time Kevin showed me this picture 10 years ago, I squinted and asked him if he auditioned for the part of the kid from "The Omen." He laughed hard and immediately started chanting in Latin. Oh man... that laugh. That unforgettable laugh. I got... moreThe first time Kevin showed me this picture 10 years ago, I squinted and asked him if he auditioned for the part of the kid from "The Omen." He laughed hard and immediately started chanting in Latin. Oh man... that laugh. That unforgettable laugh. I got it from him every time I imitated my parents lecturing me as a kid. I could order a beer in an exaggerated Indian accent and Kevin would lose it. He would crack himself up doing his own patented version of a Zoomba dance... we couldn't help but laugh with him. Outspoken and passionate, Kevin firmly believed that teammates produced the best work when they knew each other better outside of "shoptalk". He would always inquire about our passions, and he was unbelievably generous in sharing his. You couldn't help but learn something new after hanging out with the guy. Memories of Kevin are intertwined with his love of fine food, travel, cooking and libation... And, of course, his sports teams. Kevin was a diehard OSU Buckeye. I never held that against him, being a Michigan Wolverine. He'd always ask me why we had a glorified weasel as a mascot. I told him he had to explain why a hairless nut captured the spirit of The Ohio State University (TM), and why "the whole state of Michigan" shows up in the very first line of their fight song. Good natured teasing was *essential* in every interaction. Did I mention that he was whip-smart? A natural problem solver, highly intelligent and kind. Kevin sought out inventive ways to pair technology, science and artistry in a way that challenged and inspired anyone in his orbit. I think the picture at the top of this page captures it perfectly - KD smiling while serving up a dish he created proudly in one hand, his other hand on his smart phone. Kevin, I'll never be able to see Mila Kunis or Ryan Reynolds on the screen again without thinking about you. Gelato won't be the same without you asking what *exactly* I like about it, and you giving me binary options as a prompt ("So do you enjoy the creaminess, or the complex flavor?") To his friends and family: Kevin was obviously loved and respected by many. I'll truly miss him. My heartfelt sympathies to all of you. less
Again with the food! Here he is on our trip to the US with our eldest daughter Lettie, showing her how to make fresh pasta from scratch.... she had the best time...
My deepest sympathies to Kevin's family and friends. I am so sorry for your loss. I worked with Kevin for 8 years at AZ. Kevin and I both loved watching sports and trash talking about each other's teams. With Kevin being an Ohio State fan and me a... moreMy deepest sympathies to Kevin's family and friends. I am so sorry for your loss. I worked with Kevin for 8 years at AZ. Kevin and I both loved watching sports and trash talking about each other's teams. With Kevin being an Ohio State fan and me a Michigan fan, the trash talk flowed easily. Because I also liked the Tar Heels, Kevin would IM me annoying stories about Duke. Whenever I got a prompt to change my password at work, I would IM Kevin and tell him my new password was OhHowIHateOhioState. I can still hear Kevin's voice and laugh telling me something I didn't want to know about Game of Thrones. I hated that show. But I truly enjoyed Kevin's enjoyment of Game of Thrones - his enthusiasm was infectious and it never failed to make me smile. One of my last memories of Kevin is going for a ride around the AZ parking lot in his new Tesla. He was so happy, it's hard to believe he is gone. less
I will miss many things about Kevin, but the biggest thing I will dread is the start of football season. For me, Kevin and football came hand in hand. Being a Giants fan he loved teasing me about our horrible season or recently our mind boggling QB draft... moreI will miss many things about Kevin, but the biggest thing I will dread is the start of football season. For me, Kevin and football came hand in hand. Being a Giants fan he loved teasing me about our horrible season or recently our mind boggling QB draft pick. Sometimes we would text though an entire game like we were analysts, all the while making me laugh hysterically. He was a very special person and will be missed always. less
Here are some some pics of Kevin when he was young. From left to right Kevin with his Mum, Brother and sister Tania. Kevin at the postgraduate party at Imperial college London after receiving his Doctorate ( at 24 years old ). Kevin and brother... moreHere are some some pics of Kevin when he was young. From left to right Kevin with his Mum, Brother and sister Tania. Kevin at the postgraduate party at Imperial college London after receiving his Doctorate ( at 24 years old ). Kevin and brother Christian at Grandparents house in Germany. Kevin and Mum in 1970.
Kevin was the pride and joy of our life. In spite of a terrible disease he was so unfortunate to get at age 11, he achieved a lot in his young life. We were happy and sad at the same time when he received a Scholarship to do Post Doctoral studies at Ohio State in 1993, because we knew that he would be far away and would never return again permanently to England. We still cannot believe that he has left us and we miss him terribly. All our love Mum and Dad less
Kevin, I'm going to miss you man. I spent the last couple days filing through thousands of photos looking that one. That one of you and your yard glass with the cute bartender who sold it to you in Las Vegas. I swear I just saw it. Then, I realized I did... moreKevin, I'm going to miss you man. I spent the last couple days filing through thousands of photos looking that one. That one of you and your yard glass with the cute bartender who sold it to you in Las Vegas. I swear I just saw it. Then, I realized I did just see it. You were showing it to me at our last get together. I'm going to miss those gatherings the most. Cheers. less
Here at a party in Davis Square, the 40 somethings were appreciating the '80s music in Hot Tub Time Machine, tunes that the 20 somethings were sadly missing. A great night of laughter!
Kevin was Uncle Kevin to my boys. He loved them and they loved him. Here's a photo of my oldest, CJ, when he was 2 1/2, during a cruise to Alaska. There were 16 of us on this trip and we had a blast. Kevin and CJ, the biggest foodies in the group,... moreKevin was Uncle Kevin to my boys. He loved them and they loved him. Here's a photo of my oldest, CJ, when he was 2 1/2, during a cruise to Alaska. There were 16 of us on this trip and we had a blast. Kevin and CJ, the biggest foodies in the group, enjoyed salmon at every meal. They especially loved the salmon feast during one of the day trips. less
This photo of Maki and Kevin is from November 2003, when a bunch of us traveled to Prague and Budapest. We did a lot of trips with Kevin and other friends during Thanksgiving because it was low season in most places and we could get away from work.... moreThis photo of Maki and Kevin is from November 2003, when a bunch of us traveled to Prague and Budapest. We did a lot of trips with Kevin and other friends during Thanksgiving because it was low season in most places and we could get away from work. During this trip, we loved the great beer that was less expensive than water, the goulash, the amazing churches, the beautiful architecture, and the hours spent hanging out in cafes. When Kevin and Maki got tired of sightseeing, but I still wanted to do more, or I wanted to go shopping, I'd grab my mom or my friend Dayna, while Kevin and Maki sat in a cafe, drank beer or coffee, and played Magic. It was really, really cold in Eastern Europe, so we were always bundled up. Kevin would ogle the Czech ladies in their miniskirts and thigh high boots. Our Thanksgiving dinner was in a tavern in Prague. less
As I sit here and plan our AstraZeneca team Spring event next week I am so saddened that I can't bounce ideas off of Kevin and get his feedback on food and wine choices. He will be greatly missed next week. Our last event was the Foodie Tour in the... moreAs I sit here and plan our AstraZeneca team Spring event next week I am so saddened that I can't bounce ideas off of Kevin and get his feedback on food and wine choices. He will be greatly missed next week. Our last event was the Foodie Tour in the North End of Boston which Kevin suggested we do. He helped me in the background with picking which locations we would visit and picked all of the wine selection for us. He said he has always wanted to do that tour but unfortunately he couldn't attend due to coming down with the flu. He would have really loved it. I really enjoyed all of his stories he told us of his travels during our weekly FIKA's. One of my favorite recent memories of Kevin is when he danced on the pole on the Party bus during one of our events. He always put a smile on people's faces. His vast knowledge and love of food always brought us all together. His homemade gelato was amazing! He will be greatly missed and the AZ team will be different without him. less
The photo on the home page is from Thanksgiving 2018. Kevin often spent Thanksgiving with me and my husband, Maki. Kevin and Maki went to high school together in Singapore and they've been best friends ever since. When Kevin last came to visit, he helped... moreThe photo on the home page is from Thanksgiving 2018. Kevin often spent Thanksgiving with me and my husband, Maki. Kevin and Maki went to high school together in Singapore and they've been best friends ever since. When Kevin last came to visit, he helped cook Thanksgiving dinner, then he made us an Indian dinner with lots of chickpeas since he had learned some new recipes after spending a month in Chennai, India. We also went out for Korean BBQ. Visits and trips with Kevin always revolved around food. One Thanksgiving, Maki and Kevin deep fried a turkey. Another time, they brined and then roasted a turkey. less