Marilyn Elizabeth McDaniel

December 2, 1954 – March 17, 2022

Marilyn received the Applause of Heaven on March 17, 2022 at the age of 67. The oldest daughter of David T. Owens, Jr. and Frances Manning Owens, Marilyn was born in Louisville, Kentucky at St. Joseph’s Infirmary. She spent her childhood at St. Athanasius and attended Holy Rosary Academy, graduating from Moore High School in 1972.

Marilyn was married to Gerald (Gerry) McDaniel and had just celebrated 20 years with beautiful memories of trips to Yellowstone, Gloucester, MA, and Lake Cumberland together.

Marilyn was the matriarch of the Owens family to whom she gave selflessly all of her life-- blessing her siblings and nieces and nephews in countless ways.

Marilyn’s talents were endless, and she used those talents to bless others. Amongst those talents were sewing, crocheting, quilting, gardening, baking and tutoring. She was a patient teacher of her skills to others. Children in her family were wrapped in her lovingly made baby afghans and blankets. Her garden was shared with the community especially at St. Ignatius Martyr, St. Vincent DePaul Helping Hand Care Center where she served tirelessly at the food pantry. Serving others at the Helping Hand Care Center was her passion and where she experienced deep and enduring friendships.

Marilyn’s service to her community extended through donations of blood and plasma to the American Red Cross, as well as serving her faith community at St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church as a former church secretary and member of the Art and Environment Committee to ensure her church was properly adorned for each liturgical season. She faithfully served her former employer, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of KY for 45 years as a Project Manager.

On the evening of December 5th, she would play St. Nick and deliver treats to everyone in her family. Her nieces and nephews awoke to treats that had been left on their front porches overnight.

She was a master of the Irish Goodbye, and it is not lost on her family that she made her exit on St. Patrick’s Day.

Loved ones who welcomed her in Heaven are her parents, David T. Owens, Jr. and Frances Manning Owens; brother, Anthony Gerard Owens; deceased husband, Bill Vaughn and stepchildren, Tara and Denver Vaughn; niece, Megan Payne and nephews Stephen Owens and Jonathan Owens. Loved ones that will miss Marilyn until they meet again are her husband Gerald McDaniel, step-daughter Amie Grayson (William), and her siblings Michael Owens (Barbara), John Owens (Tracy), Kathy Champion (Le), Jim Owens, Theresa Owens, Maurica Clouser (Joe), and Margaret Owens. Her memory and life will also be treasured by countless nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church, 1816 Rangeland Road, Louisville, KY on Monday, March 21, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. following visitation in the church from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy would honor her life through gifts to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Helping Hand Center at St. Ignatius Martyr Church, 1816 Rangeland Rd. Louisville, KY 40219.