Daniel Thomas Locati, age 35, of Bozeman, Montana, passed away on March 6, 2025. He was loved by many and will be greatly missed.
Daniel was born on May 24, 1989, in Bozeman following an epic Montana winter. He was the son of Jerry Locati and Mary Morgan Patton and later gained wonderful stepparents, Kari Locati and Steve Patton. Daniel’s early years were spent playing with his numerous doting cousins and being a wonderful older brother to Christopher and Ryan. Daniel had an early love of sports, especially soccer, and later was known for being an avid Chelsea F.C. fan. Many of us knew that you never stood in the way of Daniel and one of his teams! As a child and an adult, Daniel cherished time spent at a family cabin on the East Rosebud—it was his sanctuary. He also cherished his time at an early age learning to hunt and golf with his dad. He loved spending time golfing with friends and family, especially at his home away from home—Riverside Country Club. More recently, he had a Zen-like quality about him while bowhunting elk alongside his dad in the Missouri River Breaks of Montana.
Daniel’s life was forever changed when he met Ashley Kaufman in 2014. They quickly became inseparable and discovered in each other their best friend and lifelong love. Determined, hard-working, and entrepreneurial, they set off together and began selling home security and entertainment packages across the South and Midwest. After their time on the road, Daniel and Ashley relocated back home to Bozeman and grew a successful car detailing business (New Again Detailing)—building and nurturing their lives together. In September of 2024, the two were married in an intimate ceremony outside of Bozeman along a winding river.
Daniel was fun-loving, quick-witted, and always had a story to tell. Honesty was one of Daniel’s most cherished qualities; he was never afraid to speak his mind, always sharing his thoughts and providing humor to those around him. He was a fierce competitor in all aspects of life, always driven with grit and determination. This was especially evident in his domination of card and board games, which he enjoyed playing with his family over the holidays.
As a true Gemini, Daniel also possessed a tender and sensitive heart and deeply cared for those close to him. He had a profound appreciation for his family and friends, both near and far, and cherished the connections he shared with each of you. Daniel showed his love through his generosity, whether it was sharing elk meat with family and friends, curating family meals and cooking with Kari, or including friends and family on hunting and golf outings.
Daniel is survived by his wife, Ashley; his mother, Mary (Steve Patton); father, Jerry (Kari Locati); brothers, Christopher Patton and Ryan Locati; his grandmothers, Elaine Locati and Diane Berg; his caring in-laws; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
There will be a Memorial Service at 11am, Saturday, March 22, at Grace Bible Church (3625 South 19thAvenue in Bozeman) with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to give to “Team Gleason” to provide research and support for a cure to ALS (https://teamgleason.org [teamgleason.org]) or a charity of your choice to honor Daniel.
We are all lucky to have been impacted in some way by Daniel and will miss him deeply.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com [dokkennelson.com]
