Leonard A. McDaniel, 92, of Circleville passed away April 27, 2008 at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, KS. He was born February 17, 1916 in Wetmore, KS, the son of Verne and Ruth Baird McDaniel. He graduated from Wetmore High School in 1935. After graduation he served in the United States Navy from 1936 – 1946 and was honorably discharged as Chief Electrician Mate in May 1946. He also served in the United States Navy during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He had lived in Turner, KS then later Ozawkie until 1978 before moving to Circleville.
He owned and operated the Rex Theatre in Wetmore until 1953. The advent of television caused the demise of the theatre business. He went to Kansas City, Mo where he worked as an electrician, machinist and retired as a tool and die maker in 1978. He was a member of the USS Colorado Alumni Assoc., Pleasant View Grange #1459 and Mound Pleasant Grange of Ozawkie, Topeka Rose Society, Friends of Reinisch Rose Garden, Ozawkie Fire Department and a member of the Larner-Segraves American Legion Post #36 of Oskaloosa, KS.
Mr. McDaniel married Gladiola Chase on May 15, 1938 at Bremerton, WA; they later divorced. He married Helen McKee on December 20, 1946 in Kansas City, KS; she passed away on November 24, 1988. He later married Cora R. Shumaker Karns on March 7, 1989 in Circleville, KS; she passed away on October 2, 2001. He was also preceded in death by a sister Helen McDaniel and a brother Raymond L. McDaniel.
He is survived by a son James A. McDaniel (Karen), of Richmond, CA; a sister Nell Hawley (Jim), of Wetmore, KS; a brother Walter J. McDaniel (Jo), of Topeka, KS and 5 grandchildren.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Burial will be in the Wetmore Cemetery. Family will greet friends from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Jackson County Humane Society c/o Mercer Funeral Home P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436.