Daniel J. Czaja

Daniel James Czaja, age 70, of Litchfield, NH, passed away unexpectedly on October 6th, 2026. He was born on September 26, 1956, in Manchester, NH, to Ignal and Joyce (Decato) Czaja. He was a lifelong resident of the Manchester area, attending local schools.

 From an early age, Dan knew the meaning, the value, and the true joy of hard work. He was employed at local manufacturing companies as a machine mechanic, maintaining and repairing the machines that keep the entire manufacturing process running. Fixing things was not just a job to him; it was who he was, and he loved it. Throughout his life, friends and neighbors brought their lawnmowers, cars, and miscellaneous mechanical gadgets to him to fix. And of course, he did.

 In the school of hard knocks, Dan could be said to have majored in friends. People were drawn to him for his friendly good nature...and stayed for his backyard barbecues, stories & pool parties, which were epic; his home was the central hub of his ever-widening circle of friends, and he delighted in it.

Dan was also a lifelong lover of classic rock. He played it loud and often. In his teenage years, he played drums in various local bands. These bands often practiced in the basement of his childhood home--again, loud and often--a fact that was well known to his entire [surprisingly tolerant] neighborhood.

Dan’s love for classic cars is the stuff of legends. The minute he got his driver’s license as a teenager, he bought his beloved 1968 Chevrolet Camaro. Red, of course. He spent countless happy hours restoring it--making it ‘bigger and badder’ over the years. Everyone in the classic car community knew him, his car, and his license plate “CHAZZ,” his childhood nickname. Whether he was drag racing on Elm Street or racing [legitimately!] at New England Dragway, he was happiest when he was in his car. 

Dan was devoted to his wife of over 31 years, Darleen. They went fishing in the summer, and snowmobiling up north in the winter. Together they worked hard, laughed often, and loved completely. Dan always said he had a great life--likely due, in no small part, to Darleen.

Dan is survived by his sister, Cathy Czaja Moody (Patrick) of Hooksett, and their children; stepson Gary Jache (Natalie) of North Carolina, and their children; and sister-in-law Kathleen [Teeny] Czaja of Allenstown and her children. Also many nephews, nieces, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

 He is predeceased by his wife, Darleen [Jache] Czaja (2025), mother Joyce (Decato) Czaja (2020), brother Joseph Czaja (2018), and father Ignal Czaja (1968).

 Dan loved the Lord, he loved his family, and he loved his many friends well.

SERVICES: Calling hours will be held on Friday, October 16, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with a service to follow at Lambert Funeral Home. Committal Prayers will follow at Holy Trinity Cemetery.

In Lieu of Flowers, Please make donations to the American Heart Association.