Velma R. McDaniel

Velma R. McDaniel, 90, a resident of Newhaven Court at Clearview in Butler, passed away on Saturday, October 2, 2010 after an extended period of declining health. She was born October 26, 1919 in Malvern Hill, VA, on Poindexter’s Farm, earlier site of the infamous July 1, 1862 final battle of the “Seven Days Battles” of the Civil War, the daughter of Harry Rathien and Bertha Cornelia Foster Rathien. She was preceded in death by her devoted husband of 30 years, Henry Curtis McDaniel, Sr. who died November 20, 1981 and twin sons Mark and Scott who died shortly after childbirth in 1960. Velma graduated from Hopewell High School, Hopewell, VA in 1936, then attended Spotswood Secretarial School under the sponsorship of Dr. Joseph Osborne before working for 17 years at Allimac Stamping Company in Petersburg, VA. For more than 23 years, she worked at Continental Can Company in Hopewell as a production secretary until her retirement in November, 1983. “Babs,” her affectionate nickname, was a member of Woodlawn Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, VA from the late 1920s until the late 1940s. In 1950, she united with West End Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Hopewell. For more than fifty years, she served her Lord and the congregation as a children’s Sunday school teacher, women’s council president and circle Bible teacher, secretary for the World Missions Committee, active member of the hospitality and mercy committees, Christian day school commission and as a faithful prayer warrior on the prayer chain. She is survived by a daughter, Ellen M. Garrett and her husband Frank in Glen Allen, VA; a son, the Rev. Dr. H. Curtis McDaniel and his wife Karen in Butler; six grandchildren, the Rev. H. Curtis McDaniel III and his wife Margaret in Savannah, GA; Megan E. McDaniel and Heather P. McDaniel in Butler; Lieutenant B. Camm Garrett, United States Army, Laura B. Garrett and F. McEnery Garrett (“Mac”) in Glen Allen, VA; a sister, Doris R. Hubbard in Fairfax, VA, and a brother, John Rathien in Chester, VA along with numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation was held on October 6 at the Hopewell Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home. The funeral service was held on October 7 at West End Presbyterian Church, Hopewell with a subsequent graveside service and interment at the Bermuda Memorial Park in Enon, VA. The family encourages memorials for the missions ministry of West End Presbyterian Church, 1600 Atlantic Street, Hopewell, VA 23860-3761.

Velma R. McDaniel

October 26, 1919 - October 2, 2010