Daniel Espinal

Daniel Espinal, fondly known as Grampy to his grandkids was born on July 9th, 1935, in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic to Carmela Liz and Ramon Antonio Espinal. He attended boarding school at Hargrave Military Academy Virginia in 1946 where he learned English and graduated two years early at the age of 16.   He went back to the Dominican Republic and served in the Dominican Air Force. Upon his return to the US, he was naturalized in Valdosta Georgia in 1955.  Daniel joined the United States Air Force, attending basic training in New York and served in Combat Search and Rescue as a downed pilot observer flying in B-25 Mitchell's. In 1956 he deployed to Saudi Arabia to support the standing up of a Saudi Air Force, teaching Saudi pilots to fly.  

Daniel returned stateside and went on to work for RCA, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Wang.  He completed his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at Northeastern University.  He worked on a myriad of scientific endeavors in the computer sciences, often collaborating for the sheer joy of scientific curiosity.  It was not uncommon in the Espinal household to meet an engineer or scientist while having coffee, or to find computer boards around the house. In his professional career, he earned two patents from the USPTO: Drive Circuits for Digital Lines applied to super core memory for tanks, and a novel Spray and Aeration System for the removal of volatile organic compounds, as well as work done at CSAIL at MIT for the development of the Patriot Missile System.

Daniel married and had a daughter, Sara Espinal Provencal on October 5th, 1972.  Daniel moved to Ireland to support setting up a semiconductor manufacturing facility living in Galway, Ireland where he met his future wife of 50 years, Julia Carvacho-Bayas Espinal.  They lived together in Spain coming back stateside where they married and had a son, Daniel Eugenio Espinal on December 20th, 1980.  The family moved to Puerto Rico in 1982 and had another daughter, Andrea Isabela Espinal.

They returned to New England in 1984, living in Salem and Windham, NH. A perpetual entrepreneur, he and Julia founded New England Radon, LTD in 1985 which survives today.

Dad was a humanist and a dreamer, believed in people, loved solving problems, particularly technical ones, perpetually optimistic in every endeavor, loved animals and believed in sticking up for the little guy. 

He always made time for his family, making treks to Maine, thousands of hours of driving to every hockey rink in the Northeast, and always lending an ear. He was a devoted husband and did everything with Julia.

Dan died on December 4th, 2025 at the age of 90 surrounded by his children, grandchildren, and wife. He is survived by his wife Julia, his two children, Sara and Dan, and his four grandchildren, Isabel, Addison, Jackson, and, Penelope.

He will be missed, and forever in our hearts.

Family and friends are invited to an hour of visitation on Thursday January 8, 2026 from 9:30 am to 10:30 am at Goundrey Dewhirst Funeral Home 42 Main Street, Salem, NH. A Funeral Mass will follow the visitation at 11:00 am on Thursday at St. Joseph Church 40 Main Street Salem, NH. To leave an online condolence, please visit Dan's tribute page at www.goundreydewhirstfuneral.com. 

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