Daniel James Maiden

Daniel Maiden, of Granite Falls, passed away on Saturday, September 3, 2022 at his home at the age of 59.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 10:30 AM at United Church of Christ in Granite Falls with Pastor Randy Moe officiating.

Visitation will be held at the church for one hour before the service.

On July 18, 1963, Daniel James Maiden was born to Merle and Dona Maiden. Dan graduated from Park High in St. Paul Park, Minnesota in 1981 and from U of Mn, Morris in 1984. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Drew Theological Seminary in 1988. In 2012 he earned his Doctor of Ministry from Hartford Seminary.

In addition to serving as parish pastor to several churches Dan’s ministry included helping provide dental care when the HIV/Aids epidemic was an epidemic of fear, ministering to Haitian immigrants and to people dying of AIDS. He was living in New York City on 9-11-2001 and was deeply moved by the attack on his adopted city.

While serving as parish pastor in Lakeland, Florida he married Paul Ledford on February 21, 2015. They moved to Granite Falls later that year where Dan served as pastor in Granite Falls United Church of Christ, Congregational and First Congregational in Montevideo.

Dan loved hiking and canoeing in the Minnesota River valley. With friends he journeyed to the badlands and Black Hills, Canadian Rockies, BWCA, Bighorn mountains, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. He loved hiking Lake Superior’s north shore and chasing fall colors in southeast Minnesota bluff country. Dan loved music, most recently, singing in the Granite Falls Community Chorus. Family was extremely important to Dan, and he had a strong sense of justice for people and all of creation.

He is survived by his husband, Paul Ledford; sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Paul Maiden Mueller, brother and sister-in-law Bob and Jeanine Maiden and brother Wes Maiden, nieces Mary Schultz and her husband Mike, Alena Maiden Mueller, Lauren Maiden-Aery and her husband Alan, Becky Maiden and Ruth Brown and her husband Chris. His nephews are John and Jacob Maiden, and David Maiden Mueller. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Joseph.