Ethan’s Coffee Fund is intended primarily to add a bit of grace to the finances of a dedicated college student. Ethan Daley was truly a unique individual who was perhaps best known for his enthusiasm and the depth of knowledge he developed in any field that interested him. Although a love of coffee is not required, the fund is intended to support individuals who have such a passion for learning and life. Ethan had always intended, someday, to establish a scholarship fund and though his life was much too short, we hope to support students who can bring this drive to life through examples of their own passions, such as an engineering major who loved working in a video store and could capture the essence of any film in few pithy sentences, or becoming all but a licensed gunsmith while pursuing a PhD in biomedical engineering; or even writing an entire short story on a man’s harrowing quest for coffee to relax while excelling in all of your actual assigned homework. A sense of humor is a plus and examples of how you relish the rubber chicken aspects of life and bring levity to those around you are welcome.
Ethan Daley
October 24, 1976 – April 24, 2021
In loving memory:
Ethan was born in Athens, Georgia, on October 24, 1976 but grew up in Corvallis, Oregon, attending our local schools. His life was defined by his studies and he received a full scholarship to Oregon State University and graduated in 2000 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Philosophy. He worked for a time as an engineer before becoming, ‘bored.’ After briefly considering a life as a coffee barista, he instead pursued graduate studies at the University of Michigan from 2005 to 2013 in biomedical engineering, earning a PhD, two master’s and meeting the love of his life, his wife, Corine. He was always so pleased that she was, ‘smarter than him’ and he was a lot to keep up with. He worked as a Senior Engineer, Failure Analysis Associate in Philadelphia but during his off time he pursued his interests in physical fitness, hiking, history, literature (think Fahrenheit 451), films, food and firearms. If you wanted to buy anything, even a can opener, you would be sure to ask Ethan as he had researched which was the best and most mechanically sound item ever made. He was usually right. Ethan always had interests he was pursuing and it is hoped that this scholarship will help students pursue their own life’s passions as life can be much too short. Ethan Daley passed away very suddenly in his home in Philadelphia on April 24, 2021, at the age of 44 years old. He is much missed and dearly remembered.