Former 49ers standout defensive lineman Dan Colchico died from complications due to heart surgery Sunday at his home in Concord. He was 76.

Colchico started 64 games during his seven-year NFL career, all of them with the 49ers. He played for the 49ers from 1960-65 after being selected in the seventh round of the 1959 NFL draft.

With the 49ers, Colchico was part of a dominant defensive line that also featured Leo Nomellini and Charlie Krueger.

In 1962 he received the prestigious Len Eshmont Award for the player who “best exemplifies the inspirational and courageous play” of Len Eshmont.

Colchico attended Mt. Diablo High, Diablo Valley College and San Jose State before he reached the NFL. He was born in Berkeley but moved to Port Chicago when he was 2 years old.

Colchico’s wife of 59 years, Nancy, said that her husband took great pride in growing up where he did.

“He never thought about moving across the bay,” Nancy Colchico said. “He tried to bring people home here. He wanted them to meet his people. He was very proud of where he was from.”

Marv McKean grew up with Colchico. They were teammates in grammar school, at Mt. Diablo High and San Jose State.

McKean said Colchico, who was inducted into several halls of fame, wasn’t blessed with the kind of size or talent usually associated with NFL-caliber players.

“He was an overachiever,” McKean said. “He was small for a defensive end. Through dedication and hard work, he developed into a very good football player.”

Dan and Nancy fell in love in high school, she said. They were so smitten that they ran off to Reno one day and got married, without telling anyone.

Dan was 17 at the time, Nancy 16. They waited until the end Dan’s senior year several months later to tell their parents.

“I told my dad I was going to the zoo,” Nancy said. “Instead, we went to Reno, we got married, played a little cards and had enough money to get gas to get back. We got home about midnight. That was that.”

Colchico is survived by his wife, six children — Mindi, Joe, Dominic, Matthew, Gino and Kristen — and 11 grandchildren.