Willem H. Daniels ’56

Willem died July 16, 2023, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He entered hospice after suffering from several falls and subsequent surgeries.

Willem was an internationalist — a Dutch national born in Singapore and educated in Brazil, England, Switzerland, and France before coming to Princeton to major in the Woodrow Wilson School. Willem joined Court Club and roomed with Richard White.

After Princeton, Willem lived in Manhattan for several years, working in publishing. He long treasured memories of listening to Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman at the Five Spot. He became a U.S. citizen and served in the Marine Corps in Italy and Lebanon.

Following a stint in Europe teaching himself sculpture and drawing, Willem returned to the United States and earned an MFA from the University of Colorado, and taught art in Boulder. Around 1975, he moved to Washington, D.C., and for 10 years was a translator for the State Department, later opening his own translation company. In 1995, Willem moved back to Amsterdam. He was a lover of literature, including English Romantic poetry, Spanish drama, and French novels.

He is survived by a sister and 10 nephews and nieces.