Obituary for Eldred Jean McDaniel
Eldred Jean Mc Daniel lifelong resident of La Jara Colorado peacefully passed away on May 31, 2021. Eldred was born on May 26, 1931 in Alamosa, Colorado to the Parents of Roy and Opal Mc Daniel. Dad was a graduate of Alamosa high school in 1950 and after high school attended a semester at BYU then came home to help farm with his father. On August the 17, 1951 He married the love of his life, Carol Lavon Mortensen, and they were married in the Salt Lake temple.
Eldred loved the occupation of farming and bought a farm in the Carmel area. To supplement his farming income he did custom plowing at night. After several years of farming for himself he was hired to be the manager for the church’s welfare farm. Towards the end of his working years he was the custodian for the La Jara church house on Broadway. He loved that job for two reasons, one he took pride in keeping the building clean and in order and second he loved the fact that he got to work with the members of both wards. He later served as a facilities manager for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was responsible for the maintenance of several buildings for the church in keeping them good running order. He made many friends in that job and loved working with people from not only in the valley but outside of the valley as well. He was a member of the La Jara Rotary club, and served as a school board member of the North Conejos school district.
Eldred was passionate about several things, one of which was his football team and his teammates on that team. In 1950 his football team took the state championship. They weren’t the biggest players and were often known as “the might midgets”. He loved fresh corn on the Cob and often would eat a dozen ears in a setting. He and his wife loved to garden together. Dad’s garden was always neat and organized with rows straight and weeds were not a welcome sight. He and Carol loved to dance and sing together. Carol would often sit down and play the piano and dad would come over and sing with her. Serving others was a passion he had and that service came in many forms, whether it was donating blood, taking food to those who didn’t have much, taking his hair clippers into someone’s home and giving them hair cuts or just lend a listening ear with a genuine smile. Dad loved chocolate Ice box cake, drag racing out on a back road and watching Chuck Norris,in the Texas Ranger.
Dad had wanted to serve as a missionary for the church but stayed home from a mission to allow his brothers to serve in the armed forces. He helped his dad with the farming responsibilities. Towards the latter part of his life he was called on a service mission where he served faithfully for 2 years.
Eldred and Carol had 6 children: Robin (Nancy) Mc Daniel, Debbie (Jack) Gilleland, Ritchie (Erica) Mc Daniel, Stephanie (Brent) Kelly, Nanette (Bart) Sowards, Jeramy (Cynthia) Mc Daniel. They had 31 grandchildren and 63 great grandchildren. Eldred was preceded in death by his wife Carol Mc Daniel and his parents, Roy Stewart and Opal Coombs Mc Daniel, Siblings Dorthy Marie Christensen, LeLand Roy Mc Daniel, Helen Welker, Lloyd Stewart Mc Daniel, One grand-child Brett Eldred Mc Daniel, two great-grandchildren Jana Elma Mc Daniel and Bryce Sowards. He is survived by his siblings, Janice Moody, William Mc Daniel, Earl Mc Daniel.
A viewing will be held at the Rogers Family Mortuary in Manassa Sunday evening, June 6th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Monday morning from 10:00 to 10:40 a.m. in the La Jara building relief society room. The funeral will be held Monday June 7th, at 11:00 a.m. at the La Jara first ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Interment will follow services in the Sanford Cemetery.
Rogers Family Mortuary is in care of the arrangements. To leave online words of comfort, remembrances and condolences for Eldred’s family, please visit www.RogersFunerals.com
Eldred loved the occupation of farming and bought a farm in the Carmel area. To supplement his farming income he did custom plowing at night. After several years of farming for himself he was hired to be the manager for the church’s welfare farm. Towards the end of his working years he was the custodian for the La Jara church house on Broadway. He loved that job for two reasons, one he took pride in keeping the building clean and in order and second he loved the fact that he got to work with the members of both wards. He later served as a facilities manager for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was responsible for the maintenance of several buildings for the church in keeping them good running order. He made many friends in that job and loved working with people from not only in the valley but outside of the valley as well. He was a member of the La Jara Rotary club, and served as a school board member of the North Conejos school district.
Eldred was passionate about several things, one of which was his football team and his teammates on that team. In 1950 his football team took the state championship. They weren’t the biggest players and were often known as “the might midgets”. He loved fresh corn on the Cob and often would eat a dozen ears in a setting. He and his wife loved to garden together. Dad’s garden was always neat and organized with rows straight and weeds were not a welcome sight. He and Carol loved to dance and sing together. Carol would often sit down and play the piano and dad would come over and sing with her. Serving others was a passion he had and that service came in many forms, whether it was donating blood, taking food to those who didn’t have much, taking his hair clippers into someone’s home and giving them hair cuts or just lend a listening ear with a genuine smile. Dad loved chocolate Ice box cake, drag racing out on a back road and watching Chuck Norris,in the Texas Ranger.
Dad had wanted to serve as a missionary for the church but stayed home from a mission to allow his brothers to serve in the armed forces. He helped his dad with the farming responsibilities. Towards the latter part of his life he was called on a service mission where he served faithfully for 2 years.
Eldred and Carol had 6 children: Robin (Nancy) Mc Daniel, Debbie (Jack) Gilleland, Ritchie (Erica) Mc Daniel, Stephanie (Brent) Kelly, Nanette (Bart) Sowards, Jeramy (Cynthia) Mc Daniel. They had 31 grandchildren and 63 great grandchildren. Eldred was preceded in death by his wife Carol Mc Daniel and his parents, Roy Stewart and Opal Coombs Mc Daniel, Siblings Dorthy Marie Christensen, LeLand Roy Mc Daniel, Helen Welker, Lloyd Stewart Mc Daniel, One grand-child Brett Eldred Mc Daniel, two great-grandchildren Jana Elma Mc Daniel and Bryce Sowards. He is survived by his siblings, Janice Moody, William Mc Daniel, Earl Mc Daniel.
A viewing will be held at the Rogers Family Mortuary in Manassa Sunday evening, June 6th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Monday morning from 10:00 to 10:40 a.m. in the La Jara building relief society room. The funeral will be held Monday June 7th, at 11:00 a.m. at the La Jara first ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Interment will follow services in the Sanford Cemetery.
Rogers Family Mortuary is in care of the arrangements. To leave online words of comfort, remembrances and condolences for Eldred’s family, please visit www.RogersFunerals.com