Mary Ann McDaniel, 83, of Ocilla, Georgia, died Friday, June 26, 2020, at Irwin County Hospital in Ocilla.
Graveside services will be held 9:30 A.M., Thursday, July 2, 2020 at Spring Hill Cemetery in Irwin County with Elder Harold Roberts officiating. The family will receive friends from 4-6 Wednesday evening, July 1, 2020 at the funeral home in Ocilla.
Mrs. McDaniel was born January 6, 1937, in Irwin County, Georgia, to the late Paul H. & Mattie Mobley Harper. She graduated from Irwin County High School in 1955 and attended ABAC. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the Women’s College of Georgia and later earned her Masters and Specialist degrees from Valdosta State. She was a longtime educator having taught Social Studies in Albany, Columbus, Willacoochee and Ocilla. She also served as Curriculum Director at Irwin County. She was very active in many statewide organizations. She had served as President of the Georgia Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisors, Georgia Retired Educators Association, Ben Hill-Irwin Retired Educators Association and of the Georgia Retired Educators Museum. She served as Area 7 GREA Director for 2 terms and was a Past Board Member of Georgia Association of Educational Leaders. Mrs. McDaniel was a member of the Beta Pi Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society of Women Educators and the Irwin County Library Board. She was also Past President of Ocilla Book Club. Mrs. McDaniel enjoyed camping and spending summers in Maggie Valley. She joined Spring Hill Primitive Baptist Church in 1954 and served as Clerk for many years.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Carl Elliott McDaniel, Sr.; son and daughter-in-law, Carl McDaniel, Jr. & Cindye; daughter and son-in-law, Caren & Charles Rice; and grandchildren: Courtland & Taylor McDaniel, Camdyn McDaniel, Paul & Mary Ellis Rice, Rachel & Stephen Scaife, and David & Victoria Rice. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Travis H. Harper.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to Spring Hill Primitive Baptist Church, c/o Woody Woods, 362 Magnolia Road, Ocilla, GA 31774 or to the Spring Hill Cemetery Fund, c/o Roy Hogan, 4557 Wycliff Roberts Road, Alapaha, GA 31622 or to the Georgia Retired Educators Museum, 4311 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, GA 30542 or to the Beta Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, c/o Pam Haire, 1229 Waterloo Highway, Chula, GA 31733.