Daniel L. Cheney, 87 of Marlton, formerly of Haddonfield and Medford, a publisher and philanthropist, died of Parkinson’s disease on Feb. 19.
Born in 1928 in Vernon, N.Y., Mr. Cheney graduated from Whitesboro High School and Colgate University, Hamilton, N.Y., class of 1950. After Colgate University he served in the US Army, Bleeding Detachment at Walter Reed Hospital and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. In Germany he established a lifelong friendship with Eugene W. Jackson, who later became his business partner.
Once back in the states he was employed by General Electric, Auburn, N.Y. as an accountant where he met and married Eleanora Stevenson in 1959.
In 1959 Mr. Cheney moved to Philadelphia to work at Smith Kline and French with Mr. Jackson and in 1970 they formed a publishing company called Springhouse Corporation publishing Nursing Magazine, Skilled Books and other educational magazines. The magazine was sold in 1990 to a foreign company.
Mr. Cheney founded DanEllie Philanthropic Foundation serving the less fortunate until 2014. He also established a chair at Colgate University in honor of his father, LaVerne Cheney. In addition, he established a scholarship at Cherry Hill West High School in memory of his step-son Jon W. Dinsmore who died of a brain tumor in 1996.
Mr. Cheney was a 50-year member of Haddonfield United Methodist Church where he was a member of the adult Sunday School Class and served on the official board; he also served on the board of Methodist Hospital of Philadelphia.
Mr. Cheney’s hobbies where skiing, sailing, traveling, gardening and music. He leaves his wife Eleanora Cheney (nee Stevenson) of 57 years, three children Patricia Walter, Nancy Dinsmore and Jon W. Dinsmore (deceased), nine grandchildren (one deceased) and 25 great-grandchildren.
Mr. Cheney’s family received friends on Wed., Feb 24 at Kain-Murphy Funeral Services and again Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Haddonfield United Methodist Church, where his service followed. Interment was private. Contributions may be made to Haddonfield United Methodist Church, Parkinson’s disease, Neighborhood Center and/or Fellowship House in Camden.
