Ronnie Daniel

Ronnie Daniel closed his eyes to this world and awoke to the outstretched arms of his Savior on June 16, 2024. He leaves behind his wife of 54 years, Mary Samples Daniel and their four children; Melissa Smith, Ronna Brown and husband Joe, Ronald “Eric” Daniel and wife Beverly, Hope Starr and husband, Dustin. Ronnie was blessed with many grandchildren in his life, each of whom he adored; Catie, Chris, Jayden, Stephanie, Steven, Joe Jr., Dylan, Jessie, Erica, Breanna, Hanna, and Briley, along with 20 great grandchildren. Ronnie was preceded in death by his first grandson, Cody Daniel, and his two brothers, Harlan Daniel and Carl Daniel. Ronnie Daniel was born to Gordon Loy and Margie Rains Daniel on May 20, 1951. He tore up many a back road with his brothers and their parents had their hands full, until he met his Mary. Ronnie told a friend once, he sure loved to hear her pray. The life Ronnie built with Mary was full of laughter and love. Not one day in his 73 years went by that he did not make someone laugh, even in the hard times. Ronnie was a character, and you never knew what he would say or do next. He was so enamored with children because he was on the same wavelength as they were. He was a true “Toys Are Us” guy who never wanted to grow up. Children were drawn to him like a moth to a flame because he had a gentle and deep love for them. Ronnie helped each one stretch their imagination with wild tales and adventures. He loved to take them with him when he ran his beagles, instilling a love for dogs in all his grandchildren. He even taught his little Briley how to mimic each dog’s specific bark, which she did with great pride, causing him to burst out in his one-of-a-kind laugh that everyone knew and loved. If you were around him and his family, you would have heard at least one of his kids say, “DADDY!”, as they would try not to laugh at something absurd that he’d said. And without fail you would have heard him say, “Now Mary……”, trying to either persuade her his way or keep her from getting angry, all the while everyone else present would be stifling a giggle. He was a prankster and an imaginative “storyteller”, which often led to him being pranked. Either way, it was never boring to be around Ronnie. Ronnie loved to tell ghost stories and watch as the kids believed every wild word. The joy he experienced while here on earth came from the children. And each of them loved their Papa without prejudice all the way into adulthood where they watched as their children got to experience the same love. He was truly a rare personality and everyone who had the privilege to know him can testify to this fact. His love and pain showed through his intense emotions, for when Daddy/Papa cried it started a domino effect and soon the whole room was in danger of filling up with tears. To know Ronnie Daniel was to love, laugh and cry alongside him. He will be missed greatly, but the memories he created are his greatest legacy. For they will long be told and will never fail to recreate laughter, which is how he would have wanted it. Funeral service will be at 11:00am, Friday, June 21, 2024 at Max Slayton Funeral Chapel with interment to follow at Elmo Cemetery. His family will receive friends beginning at 6:00pm to 8:00pm, Thursday, June 20, 2024 at the funeral home.

Tributes

Ronnie Daniel

June 16, 2024