By HDN Staff
JOPLIN Vernon Joseph McDaniel, 72, died Friday, Aug. 17, 2001, at his home in Joplin of natural causes.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Joplin. Burial will follow in the family plot at the Chester Cemetery.
McDaniel was born March 10, 1929, to Clarence and Margaret (Loehr) McDaniel at the family homestead 38 miles north of Chester. He received his early education at the Laird School near the farm and graduated from Joplin High School in 1946. He worked on the Colbry and Tempel farms north of Joplin for the next few years.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1951 during the Korean Conflict. He attained the rank of sergeant and served in the infantry at Heartbreak Ridge for six months. He received an honorable discharge in 1953 and transferred to the Army Reserves.
McDaniel returned to Montana and began farming for Lynn Edwards at Joplin. He eventually leased the Edwards place and worked as a Montana farmer throughout his life.
He married Lucille Will Schauer on Jan. 2, 1981 at Twin Falls, Idaho. They spent their summers on the farm and their winters at their home in Joplin.
McDaniel was a baptized and confirmed member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church north of Joplin. He also had been active in the Chester VFW Post 3997.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, bowling, snowmobiling and camping. In his quiet time, he enjoyed reading farm publications, watching the Discovery Channel on TV, spending time with his friends, playing cards, woodworking, tinkering around in his shop and working in his yard.
He was preceded in death by parents; twin sister, Verna Wood; brothers, Earl and Alvie McDaniel; half-sister, Leora Ness; two half-brothers, Raymond and Edgar Wood.
Survivors include his wife, Lucille McDaniel of Joplin; brother, Clarence "Charlie" McDaniel of Havre; sister, Joyce Tempel of Chester; half brother, James Wood of Galata; half sister, Olive Swenson of Joplin; stepchildren, Delane Thompson of Minot, N.D., Al Schauer of Bismarck, N.D., Bill Schauer of Sterling, N.D., Fred Schauer of Dickinson, N.D., Michael Schauer of Mandan, N.D., and Mary Kay Ulven of Grand Rapids, Mich.; eight stepgrandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements are by Rockman Funeral Chapel, Chester.
