Daniel O. Elliott, Jr.

Feb. 15, 1920 - Aug. 31, 1999

Dr. Daniel O. Elliott, Jr., 79, of South Bend, Ind., died on Tuesday morning, Aug. 31, in his home. Dr. Elliott was born on Feb. 15, 1920 in Fort Worth, Texas to Daniel O. and Carmel (Farley) Elliott, and was a lifetime area resident.

On Sept. 25, 1944 in Henderson, N.C. he married Martha Baity, who preceded him in death on Jan. 15, 1997. He was also preceded in death by his parents and by two brothers, Frank and Allan Elliott.

He is survived by three sons, Dr. Daniel O. Elliott Ill of South Bend, Dr. Craig B. Elliott of Mishawaka, and Mark H. Elliott of Chicago, Ill.; six grandchildren, Evan, Meghan, Elizabeth, Cortney, Ryan and Lauren Elliott; and by three brothers, Colin Elliott of Buchanan, Mich., Paul Elliott of Park Forest, Ill., and John Elliott of Ogden, Utah.

Dr. Elliott retired after 45 years as an Optometrist. He was in with both his father and son. Dr. Elliott had a keen mind and a strong sense of duty and service, which stemmed from his humanistic ideals. He served in Europe during World War II in the Army Medical Corps. Dan returned to South Bend, where he established a busy Optometry practice with his father and later his oldest son.

During his years as an optometrist, he developed a special interest in contact lenses and contributed to the early academic literature in this field. He was an important force in establishing the Indiana University School of Optometry in Bloomington and taught there as a visiting professor. Dr. Elliott was community minded as well and was instrumental in obtaining fluoridated water for the city of South Bend. He was vice-president of the board that built the original German Township Elementary School.

He was a Boy Scout leader, serving as a scoutmaster for Troop 444 for many years. His sons, Dan III, Mark and Craig continue to be inspired by his ideals.

Memorial services will be held at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3 in the Welsheimer Funeral Home, 521 N. William Street, with Rev. Susan Weickum, chaplain of Memorial Hospital, officiating. Friends are invited to call in the funeral home two hours prior to services Friday. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of St. Joseph County, 111 Sunnybrook Drive, South Bend, IN 46637, or to the American Cancer Society, 535 W. Edison Unit #6, Mishawaka, IN 46545

Sources: Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com

09/15/2025 EJS