Ethel Inez Crossley McDaniel, age 94, passed away January 29, 2015 at the Village at Cook Springs, where she was a resident of the skilled nursing facility there. She died peacefully of natural causes. Ethel was born on September 7, 1920 in Vernon Alabama. She was the daughter of the late Dr. David Cornelius Crossley and the late Mattie Elizabeth Reynolds Crossley and was the youngest of five children including one half-brother from her father's first marriage. Her half-brother Andrew Crossley, her brother Dan Box Crossley, her brother Roy Milner Crossley, and her sister Hilda Loventrice Bobo predeceased Ethel. Her sons David Charles McDaniel and Danny Kyle McDaniel as well as two grand children, Marie Ann McDaniel and Danny Kyle McDaniel Jr. survive Ethel. Ethel attended elementary school and high school in Vernon, Alabama where she spent most of her younger years enjoying what she always described as a happy childhood. She was closest in age to her brother and kindred spirit, Roy, with whom she participated in many childhood adventures. Later in life, Ethel became a masterful storyteller, weaving her childhood exploits into precious and often hilarious stories. In addition to her childhood stories, she added many wonderful stories from her long marriage to her husband, the late David Owens McDaniel. These stories were requested repeatedly at gatherings with family and friends throughout the years. She met her soul mate and future husband in the late 1930s at a local dance where he was playing guitar with his country band. They began to spend time with each other however Ethel's parents were not thrilled about their courtship. On July 9, 1938 Ethel and David eloped to Caledonia Mississippi where they were married. Ethel and David remained happily married for 46 years until David's death in 1984. In the early forties, Ethel and David moved to the Birmingham area where they began to raise their family and where they spent the rest of their lives together. When her husband became active in the Masonic Lodge she joined the Order of the Eastern Star. During World War II, she worked the swing shift at Stockham valves where she made large anti-aircraft shell casings. After World War II Ethel studied nursing briefly until health issues and the demands of raising a family interfered. She later worked in nutrition services at University hospital. Her last employer was the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service where she worked for 30 years until her retirement at age 80. The funeral will be at Jefferson Memorial Gardens, 1591 Gadsden Highway Birmingham, Alabama 35235. Visitation will be at 1 pm CST with the service at 2 pm. CST.
Funeral Home
Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home
1591 Gadsden Highway Trussville, AL 35173
(205) 322-0543 Funeral Home Details
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Published in The Birmingham News from Feb. 3 to Feb. 4, 2015