Robert L. “Bob” Daniels, Jr

Robert L. “Bob” Daniels, Jr, age 83, died Friday, June 6, 2008, in Memorial Hospital at Gulfport surrounded by family. He was born September 26, 1924, in Jackson, Mississippi to Robert Lee and Ida Reeves Daniels, but the family relocated to Gulfport in 1928. He graduated from Gulfport High School in 1942 and served in the latter part of World War II as a flag yeoman with the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, earning four ribbons and one battle star. He attended Mississippi State University, edited the 1949 Reveille college annual, served on the staff of the campus newspaper, was a member of several scholastic and honorary societies, and graduated with a watch chain full of honor society keys. Mr. Daniels was appointed official chancery court reporter in 1956 and served until 1968 when he was appointed official U. S. District Court reporter. He was a Registered Professional Reporter and charter member and first president of the Mississippi Court Reporters Association. After retiring in 1988, he appeared in a number of performances at Gulfport Little Theatre and Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, built scale models of the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria and frequently appeared at local schools, civic organizations and the Biloxi Seafood Museum with his presentation on Christopher Columbus. After building models of the Mayflower and the U.S.S. Constitution, he presented them with the Columbus ships as “the Ships that Made America Possible.” Mr. Daniels wrote and self published May It Please the Court, a collection of legal episodes, in the year following the death of his wife of 42 years, Ruth Childres Daniels. The book includes stories of corruption on the Gulf Coast and Boyce Holleman’s struggle as District Attorney to change the system and accomplish justice. He was co-founder of the Gulfport Business Club, member of the Gulf Coast Crime Commission, former chairman and trustee of Gulfport Little Theatre and recipient of the 2006-2007 Bailey-Leggett Award in recognition of his many years of dedicated service, past vice president of the Greater Gulf Coast Arts Council, member of the Pass Christian Historical Society, member of the Gulfport Yacht Club, past director and secretary of the Center for International Seamen and Truckers, past member and director of Gulfport Kiwanis Club, past president of the Gulfport Jaycees, past president of the Gulfport Young Men’s Business Club, past member of the board of directors of the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Gulfport Gridiron Club, past member of the board of directors of the Harrison County Chapter of the American Society, and served as “Judge” for several annual Jail and Bail fund raisers. He has appeared as an extra in three movies and made numerous television commercials. He was a charter member of Joppa Shrine Temple and former director of its oriental band. Mr. Daniels was a licensed lay Eucharistic minister in the Episcopal church and a long-time member of St. Peter’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Gulfport. Mr. Daniels was preceded in death by his first wife Ruth and his sister Alice May Anders and husband Jack. Mr. Daniels is survived by the love of his life for the last ten years, his wife Betty Lou Watkins Daniels; daughters Lynn Tirrell and husband Terry of Ocean Springs, Christie Daniels, and Susan Patricks and husband Jay; grandson Randall D. Patricks, granddaughter April Lynn Patricks, all of Gulfport, and grandson Andrew Daniel McElroy of Nashville, TN; sister Millie Daniels French and husband Hugh of Punta Gorda, FL; nieces Jackie Williams, Judy Anders, and Alice French; nephews Robert Daniels Anders, W.J. “Red” Anders, Mike Anders, H. L. “Chipper” French III, and Howard French; great-nephews Tom Bodiford, Daniel Williams, Daryl Williams, Daniel Jude Anders, Jason Morris, and great-nieces Julia Bodiford, Gail Huntington, and Rachael French ; and special cousin Joy Reeves Smallwood of Gulfport. Visitation will be Sunday, June 8, 2008 from 5pm to 7pm at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home on 15th Street in Gulfport. Service will be Monday, June 9, 2008 2pm at St. Peter’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Gulfport where friends may visit one hour before the service. Interment will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Daniels-Dukes Music Fund (named in honor of Bob Daniels and Jimmy Dukes) at St. Peter’s By-the-Sea, 1909 15th St., Gulfport, MS 39501.