OBITUARY: Paul C. McDaniel

Paul C. McDaniel, also known as “Gator”

This obituary is written by his three kids: Kaylah (25), Josie (16), and Justin (13) McDaniel of Brillion. Paul, age 55, passed away at the Jewish Hospital Rudd Heart & Lung Center in Louisville, Ky. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, surrounded by us three kids and our mom (Sharon Steinfest) at his side.

Dad had a fatal heart attack which created a hole in his heart while he was driving his semi.

Surgery repaired the hole but his heart wouldn’t beat on its own and his kidneys started to fail. Sadly we had to remove him from life support and free him to go to heaven where he has no more pain. We will miss him so much.

Dad loved spending time with us, watching movies, going out to eat with us. He was a truck driver most of his life visiting places across the country. Dad also served our country for six years in the Army – we like to thank him for his service. Sometimes us kids got to go along with him on his trips. He had a lot of truck driver friends along the way which were like family to him.

He is survived by three brothers: Jimmy, Ron and Thomas McDaniel of Louisiana. He also had a special non-related family named David Moring and his parents who took him in when he was young and was close to all his life. He had an older brother named Charles McDaniel who passed away a couple of years ago and still kept in contact with his wife, Laura and two kids – Franchesica and Joshua of Milwaukee. His parents deceased, are Rufus McDaniel and Franceas Seals of Louisiana. He had dear friends like Mike Fishler of Green Bay, Jim Marlow of Menasha and Merrill/Barbara Smith family of Louisiana that we know of.

Even though our dad’s life was cut short, we want to keep dear any memories of him forever. Even if we may not know you, but if you were a friend or relative of Dad’s, please send any memories, pictures, special/funny stories, thoughts, cards to us kids at Trinity Lutheran Church, c/o McDaniel Family, to 601 E. National Ave, Brillion, WI 54110. If you wish to send any gifts to the family or memorial in his name to give to our church, feel free to send it there also.

We would like to thank David Moring and Barb Smith who helped us in many ways during the last days/hours before he passed and the nurses, doctors, staff at the hospital who were so supportive and caring. We would also like to thank Jim Marlow for all the help he has done for us also. We also would like to thank the Agape Foundation who generously covered his cremation costs on our behalf. Please hug those you love today since tomorrow they may be gone.