Nashville – Ed passed away on December 9, 2019. He was preceded in death by his parents, Margaret Talley & Romain Edward McDaniel, Sr.; wife of 63 years, JoAnn Gregory McDaniel; son, Romain Edward (Mac) McDaniel, III. He is survived by daughter, Suzanne McDaniel; sister Katheryn Smith (Bob).
Ed was born in Brookhaven, MS on May 15, 1930, and was a Graduate of Duncan Prep School & Vanderbilt Peabody College, where he served as president of the junior class and the student body in 1950, and was named "Mr. Peabody" in 1952. He attended the Indiana University Graduate School of Business and was offered a scholarship to the Graduate School at the University of Iowa.
Ed spent two years in Fort Campbell, KY during the Korean War at the time of the top secret "Birdcage" operation, & later returned home to Nashville where he became owner and CEO of the family business, R. E. McDaniel Company Food Brokers. He had a distinguished career during which time he served as President of HallMac Corporation & the Middle Tennessee Food Brokers Association. He served on numerous Boards through the years, including the Nashville Area Junior Chamber of Commerce, the National Food Brokers Association, the Tennessee Wholesale Grocers Association, Del Monte Corporation, Ocean Spray Corporation, The Best Food Company, Kerr Glass Company, & The Pillsbury Company. After retirement, he was a realtor with Haury and Smith Realtors. Mr. McDaniel was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church of Nashville, the Downtown Kiwanis Club & Richland Country Club. He was an avid golfer, great lover of Vanderbilt's sports & an active member of the Vanderbilt Alumni Association. The family would like to extend a special thank you to his caregivers at Woodcrest who he loved and considered family.
A Graveside Funeral Service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, December 12, 2019 at Woodlawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church, or to Alive Hospice.
