Daniel Fyckes Obituary, Death – Daniel J. Fyckes, 27, of Minot, North Dakota, and formerly of Norwood, New York, died unexpectedly on December 24, 2022, possibly as a result of flu complications. Sterling and Nancy (Rakoce) Fyckes gave birth to Dan Fyckes on November 30, 1995, in Massena, New York. He played for the Louisville Lightning 14U team, which won the Northeast Regional hockey championship, as well as the St. Lawrence Thunder, which won many NY State Championships. In 2013, he graduated from Norwood-Norfolk High School. After graduating, he took a gap year and played hockey for the Morrisburg Lions in Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada, before going on to the Fighting Spirits in New Hampshire. Dakota College in Bottineau, North Dakota, recruited him during the National Championship in Las Vegas, where he was a member of a National Junior College Hockey Championship-winning tea
m. After graduating from Dakota College with an Associates Degree in Applied Science (AAS), he worked for Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET) and Thompson and Sons until landing his dream job as a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Technician at Absolute Comfort in Minot. He is survived by his daughter, Layla, of Minot, ND, as well as his parents, Nancy and Sterling; brother, Andy; nephew, Karson Fyckes; maternal grandfather, Richard Rakoce; great uncle, Elmer Rakoce, and other aunts, uncles, and cousins.
His maternal grandmother, Shirley Rakoce, and paternal grandparents, Sterling and Eleanor Fyckes, died before him. Dan enjoyed spending time outdoors with his daughter, going hunting, fishing, and camping. He played in an adult hockey league in Minot on Wednesday nights. Dan and Layla enjoyed singing country music, baking, having Saturday morning breakfast at Kroll’s Diner, watching Minot Minotauros (Tier II Junior League) hockey games, and playing with their dogs, Ruger and Ruby. Dan was ecstatic that Layla loved skating as much as he did, so he enrolled her in a Learn to Skate program, and she’s quickly becoming a capable little hockey player.
On Thursday, December 29, 2022, Thomas Family Funeral Home – Minot will be open from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. In the near future, a funeral service will be held in his hometown of Norwood, New York. Plants and flowers are preferred over memorials to a local animal rescue or youth hockey program. You can leave condolences and share memories at www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com. (Arrangements are being handled by Thomas Family Funeral Home in Minot and Buck Funeral Home in Norwood, NY.)