Obit of Daniel, Major Richard R - Okmulgee County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 18 Oct 2009 Return to Okmulgee County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/okmulgee/okmulgee.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::Fort Sill National Cemetery--Elgin OK Daniel, Major Richard R. Memorial service for Major (Retired) Richard R. Daniel, 84, of Edmond will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 11, 2005, at Edmond Church of Christ with Don Vinzant, minister, officiating and funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, August 12, 2005 at the Northwest Church of Christ, Lawton, OK, with Jerry Campbell, minister of Edmond Church of Christ, officiating. Burial will follow the Friday service, August 12, 2005 at 12:00 noon, at Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, OK under the direction of Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home. Mr. Daniel died Tuesday, August 9, 2005 in Edmond, Oklahoma. Richard R. Daniel was born in Beggs, Oklahoma, November 22, 1920 to Osceola P. and Edith Lynch Daniel. Dick graduated from high school at Humboldt, Kansas. While attending junior college, he and four friends joined the Kansas National Guard. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, they were sent to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to guard against a Japanese attack. In 1943 all five friends were sent to Fort Sill to attend Officer Candidate School. It was there he met Mary Lou Holt, who was to be the love of his life for the next 61 years. They were married at Aunt Eva's house in Fresno, California, July 22, 1944. During his service career he served as a Recon and Surveying Officer and was awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal and the WWII Victory Medal among other decorations. He served in Korea in 1952 during the conflict and was awarded the Bronze Star. Other tours of duty included Japan, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina and California. While serving at the Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville, Alabama, he was a part of the team working with Werner von Braun culminating in the first U.S. space launch. He retired from the military with 22 years of service. Dick was a Native American and a direct descendant of Chief John Ross, who led the Cherokee Nation along the Trail of Tears. He organized several extended family reunions and was also active in organizing a 50th high school reunion. He was active in the Lawton AARP especially providing free tax-filing assistance for the needy. He is survived by his wife, Mary Louise Daniel, of the home in Edmond; three children and their families, David R. Daniel and his wife Judy of Edmond, Susan E. Sullivan, Edmond, Diane E. Adams and her husband Edward of Poteau; Stacy Adams Parker and husband J. Rhett of Ralls, Texas, Brian Adams of Russellville, Arkansas, Matthew Daniel and wife Amanda of Midwest City, Zachary Sullivan of Tulsa, Katherine Daniel of Edmond, Mark Daniel attending the University of Oklahoma and Brett Sullivan also attending the University of Oklahoma; also two great granddaughters, Debi Ann and Laila Daniel; a sister, Pat Perdue of Florida and two brothers, Bill Daniel of Ohio and Max Daniel of Missouri. He is preceded in death by his brother O.P. (Jack) Daniel, Jr. and three sisters, Judy Cox, Barbara Brown, and Loretta Calvert. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 3000 United Founders Blvd., # 108, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 or the In Search TV programming, P. O. Box 37, Edmond, OK 73083. Published in The Oklahoman on 8/11/2005. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Okmulgee County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/okmulgee/okmulgee.html