Daniel Cabot of West Tisbury died peacefully on August 6th at Windemere. He was 84.

Dan was born on November 22, 1939 in Boston. He was a graduate of The Fenn School, Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University, With a connection to the Vineyard stretching back to harpooning swordfish with Nelson Blount and manning the pumps for Everett Poole at the Menemsha gas station, now Menemsha Texaco, in the 1950s, he returned to the Island for many years as a summer resident before retiring to the Island permanently in 1999 with his wife Nancy, to whom he had been introduced to on the Vineyard.

Wordsmith, educator, hobbyist and devoted family man, he was a talented and creative writer whose fascination with the English language influenced all areas of his life. His love of literature led him to embrace those with a facility for the written word ranging from Shakespeare, Mark Twain and science fiction to limericks, puns and his own compositions. A master of crossword puzzles and riddles, he was also a great storyteller who dabbled in the newspaper business on the Island with stints at the Vineyard Gazette and the MV Times.

In 2017, he collected his favorite compositions—poems, essays, speeches—in a small volume for his seven grandchildren. Overflowing with passionate and descriptive accounts of his childhood, his adventures on the Vineyard and the wisdom born of more than 75 years of experience. He admitted it was not necessarily great literature, but the book will forever demonstrate to his grandchildren the depth of his thinking, the strength of his writing as well as his enduring love for them.

His love of English was most evident in his more than 50 years spent as an educator. For over 30 years, he helped generations of high school students find their voices and sharpen their prose as an English teacher in a variety of independent boarding schools, where he served as a respected teacher, advisor, coach, dorm parent and administrator. As a teacher, he was demanding but fair and his critiques of his student’s work always encouraged greater engagement with the material and more thoughtful expression. Following his retirement from Solebury School in 1999, he brought his commitment to young people to the Vineyard working with the Island school board, the MV Public Charter School and church youth groups.

Beyond his professional life, he fully engaged himself in a wide variety of hobbies throughout his life. Without any professional training in architecture, engineering or carpentry, he designed and built his family’s home in West Tisbury beginning in 1972. He undertook several expansions of the house over the years, always serving as the designer and builder.

He also dabbled in photography, filmmaking, sailing, the cultivation of Bonsai trees and was a Life Master in contract bridge. With a deep appreciation for nature, he enjoyed hiking around the Island or being on the Island waters in his sailboat or kayak. In his final time at home, he appreciated both the birds and the squirrels who would visit the feeder outside his window.

Despite his personal accomplishments and interests, the focal point of his life was his wife Nancy and their ever-expanding family. Over 63 years of marriage, they were inseparable companions throughout their journey together. Upon retirement, they traveled the world, enjoying the art, culture, language and food of Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Dan was especially proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandson. He loved to celebrate family achievements and was happiest when the house was full of not only Cabot family members, but also many cousins, nieces and nephews from Glimmerglass and from around the country.

He is predeceased by his parents Harold and Adeline and his sister Lucia. He is survived by his brother Hal; his wife Nancy; sons Ben, Davies and Ray and their respective spouses Nicole, Annie and Amy; grandchildren Tyler, Austin, Violet, Jackson, Chilton, Ali and Reed; and a great-grandson Daniel.

The family will host a private celebration of Dan’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School or to Hospice and Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard.