Charles John Daniel Sr.

Charles John “Chuck” Daniel was born on the family farm near Carroll, Iowa, April 21, 1940, the first-born of Leonard Daniel, Sr. and Marcella (Willenborg) Daniel.  With his beloved wife at his side, Charles died early in the morning of May 22, 2024 having lived for 84 years, one month and one day.

Blessed with an Irish-German heritage, “Chuck” served his family and the public with an intrinsic work ethic and a quick, wry humorous streak.  He learned very early in life that hard work, accountability and determination would create positive results and a quality of life matched by none other.  He honed that remarkable ethos of faith, family and freedom from twelve years of Catholic school education graduating in 1958 from Kuemper Catholic High School.

The Vietnam War was looming large when Charles enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 1960. He served our country earnestly until his honorable discharge in 1966.  All the while he was crafting his legendary skill of meat cutter at Baker’s Supermarket in Omaha, NE.  “Chuck” provided for his family as an expert meat cutter/meat manager at various meat counters for the next 39 years; most notably at No Frills in Denison, IA where Chuck handed out lots of advice on various meat options, the perfect cut of aged beef and a joke thrown in for good measure.

Then, on June 27, 1964, Charles married his lifelong love, Mary Margaret Lally, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Denison.  This year, on June 27th, Chuck and Mary were set to celebrate 60 years of marriage.  Since Chuck spent his formative years on the family farm, his roots had been planted so deep that he longed to return to Iowa and the farm.

Eventually, they purchased a farm very near Charter Oak, Iowa and it soon bore the name “The Daniel Ranch.”  For the next 56 years, Chuck raised beef cows and calves at the “Ranch.”  Days were long and consumed with work at the meat market, only to come back home and start baling hay, bottle feeding new born calves or engaging in a myriad of other farm chores.  On one occasion, Chuck had an ornery cow.  The cow decided to charge forward on Chuck and knock him down and continue to trample him.  Luckily, Chuck’s injuries were relegated to a few broken ribs.  However, the following year, that ornery cow felt the wrath of karma when lightning struck her never to knock down Chuck again!  

The “Daniel Ranch” was home to Chuck and Mary’s three children, Patricia, Charles, Jr. and Christopher (as well as a house-full of their friends, at times).  The three Daniel ranch hands learned early that meritorious hard work deserved fun-times, too.  There were many rounds of raucous Uno, Euchre and Racko especially at holiday time.  As they grew into adulthood, the children were often invited to come home for a “week-end outing;”  only to quickly discover that a ‘’week-end outing” meant building a fence on the back forty or harvesting baskets of apples from the orchard.

In Chuck’s retirement years, he enjoyed immensely a special bond with Ken Lally at the Feed Store.  Ken was a coffee buddy and a cattle consort.  Another bond grew between Chuck and his garden friend, Ernie Poggensee. They competed in good faith with competition around a green thumb that nurtured the biggest, best and most bountiful fruits and vegetables.

As this progenitor of the “Daniel Ranch” departs for even greener pastures in the “Heavenly Ranch”, we take comfort that he will enjoy saying “Hey” to all those friends and family who preceded him in death---his parents Leonard and Marcella Daniel and his parents-in-law, John and Regina Lally.  Survivors include: his wife, Mary; his three children Patricia (Bob) Franke, Ankeny, IA; Charles, jr. (Mindi) Daniel, Castle Pines, CO; and Christopher (Connie) Daniel of Louisville, NE.;   one sister, Louella (Allen) Thelen of Carroll and one brother Leonard, Jr (Pam) of Carroll, IA; four grandchildren Zachary (Alyssa) Franke in Omaha, Amanda (Cooper) Stach of Sheridan, WY; Erin Daniel of Milwaukee, WI and Jake Daniel of Irvine, CA.  Three great-grandchildren, Grace Franke and Bryson and Wyatt Stach.  Seven brothers-in-law and sisters-in law:  Pat and Jane Lally, Dennis Lally, Joe and Carol Lally, Joel and Eileen Sailer, Mike Lally, Jerry and Patty Lally, Warren and Jane E. Brown.  34 nieces and nephews, as well as many more relatives and friends.   

Visitation with Family Greeting Friends will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 27, 2024 at the Huebner Funeral Home in Charter Oak. His Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Charter Oak. Interment with Military Honors will follow in the parish cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Charter Oak Public Library or St. Boniface Catholic Church in Charter Oak.