Daniel Flowers Sr.

Visitation will begin at 9 AM with Private Rosary for immediate family at 10:00 AM at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home. Catholic Mass at St Vincent De Paul Catholic church will follow at 12:00 PM for immediate family, officiated by Father Hugo. Interment, at 2 PM in shelter 1, with full military honors, at Fort Sam Houston, National Cemetery, in San Antonio, Texas.

He is preceded by his “beautiful mother,” Ms. Josephine Flowers, his father, Mr. Thunderbolt Flowers, brothers Manny, Paul, and Richard Flowers. He is survived by his sister, Mary Louise Graves Flowers, and nephews and nieces.

Daniel is also survived by his wife, Leonila (Lena) Flowers. Children, Daniel (Danny) Flowers, Jr., Patricia (Patty) Ann Flowers Sanchez, Michael Stephen Flowers, and Jennifer Joan Flowers. His two grandchildren, Eric Bart Sanchez and Joshua Antonio Garza.

Daniel was born in Corpus Christi, TX., in January of 1930. He graduated from Corpus Christi High School. Even at a young age, he was “a born leader and mentor” to his peers. That’s when he became involved with the Boy Scouts of America and in time, earned the highest ranking of Eagle Scout. He was the first in his family to also pursue a higher education and knew the importance and significance of this and to always pay it forward. To always give back to the community and never forget where one comes from. To always show empathy, compassion, accountability, and respect…To motivate, inspire, and guide others. It is at this time that Daniel’s college organization (The Civic Group with Del Mar College) sponsored his own Troop when he was a young man.

Daniel served in the United States Air Force with the ranking of Staff Sergeant and successfully served in the specialty of Cryptology. After the military, he pursued his college education and graduated with his B.S. degree in Secondary Education and his M.S. degree from Texas A&I Kingsville. He served in many organizations during his college years, including the Pre-Med Organization.

It is during this time that Daniel, met the love of his life, Leonila (Lena), and it was a beautiful, fairytale romantic courting that took place until they finally married on January 6, 1957. From this passionate and constant love for each other, came four beautiful children that would finally complete their family.

Daniel’s stellar career as an educator, mentor, and community leader is bar none. From the humble beginning of a teacher at Burbank High School, he felt a higher purpose to help those in need. It is then that he started a stellar career in counseling. In his career, he has genuinely and passionately helped thousands of people with intellectual and physical disabilities as a Rehabilitation Vocational Counselor with the Texas Rehabilitation Commission. A stellar 27-year career no one can touch. And is also reflected not only of all the lives he touched by people “who remember” how he helped and guided them to this day, but by the numerous accolades he has received from the commission and from state officials. Daniel was even selected as the best Rehabilitation Vocational Counselor and received recognition from “the then governor” of Texas.

One didn’t have to be around Daniel long to know the innate, and strong attributes he had always possessed since a young man…Strong, compassionate, empathetic, accountable, sociable and always able to reach those that couldn’t advocate for themselves. He did this. He passionately advocated for those with “no voice or those thrown to the side by society.” And there have been those that have never forgotten the great impact he had on their own lives and throughout the community.

Daniel’s accolades were not only with the military, but also from The State of Texas, receiving the prestigious Kenneth Mills Memorial Award in 1969, The Texas Rehabilitation Commission Recognition Award, The Knights of Columbus for Outstanding Service to the Community, Outstanding President of the PTA for John Jay High School, Outstanding Service as President of the West Wood Terrace Little League and the Lifetime Honorary Membership Award from the Vocational-Industrial Club of Texas. He also received a prestigious award “for starting the very first vocational rehabilitation program” at the San Antonio State Hospital. There was a young man, whom Daniel mentored, as a young man, as a scoutmaster and it was in the last few years that this man sought him out to thank him for being a father figure to him. Because of Daniel’s undying commitment, unselfishness, empathy and compassion, this fellow Eagle Scout said that he was the father he never had. Daniel saved his life as a child (as he described) and gave him encouragement, support, love, those life lesson tools that the person never received from his own father. How BLESSED to have this come full circle and to be told that this person’s life was “greatly impacted” by Daniel. Not only how this person was positively affected, but that they also passed on down the strong values, attributes and knowledge of life teachings that Daniel possessed and that this man passed onto his own son. And this person’s son is now an Eagle Scout. For this man to have sought out Daniel to let him know this, it’s “truly a blessing.”

Daniel was the most devoted, exceptional husband, father, grandfather, and friend that anyone could ever have been blessed to have. The epitome of unconditional love, “a very strong family man” that believed passionately in family, faith, country, accountability, empathy, compassion, respect, dignity always giving back to the community and never forgetting where one comes from. To always help those that were less fortunate. And this is the “enormous and significant impact” Daniel had on people’s lives…. From every walk of life… “Every walk of life.” They were touched by him and his ability and innate gift of making one feel like they were the only one he was speaking to and that their feelings and opinions and thoughts mattered, “with no judgement.” And he’d do it with a smile and a hand on the shoulder, showing that he cared about you. This has been echoed by so many others over the years. He truly and sincerely cared about people and their wellbeing. And to always, always pay it forward.

Daniel has always stood for integrity, honesty, accountability, respect, family, honor, faith in God, community and a love for his country. He was such a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. His family meant “everything to him” and “their happiness and wellbeing.” Emotionally, physically and spiritually. From many family BBQs, engaging in loving and nurturing communicating with his children, to taking his children out fishing off the pier on the Bayfront in Corpus Christi to coaching sports or attending UIL music/marching competitions, it never failed that Daniel was there for his children’s emotional, physical and psychological successful development. As he always stated... “I’ve only ever wanted the very best for my family.” And he did give “the very best” of himself, and “in every aspect,” to his family. Their overall wellbeing. He also did this with his own grandchildren, spending quality grandfather time and making sure they knew they were always listened to, valued, cherished and loved. Knowing that strong sense of family and to always do the right, responsible thing. Exactly what he showed his own children as a parent. The “epitome of what every father should be.” That caliber of man. “From an era long gone” where families prayed together, ate dinner together and communicated with each other, where the parent was very actively involved in their children’s day to day lives and attended church services together as a family. Teaching their children, a strong sense of family, faith, country and community. This was Daniel Flowers, Sr. The epitome of a great, loving, and devoted husband, father and grandfather. Leonila (Lena), his beautiful, loving wife, was the love of his life and it was truly a fairytale romance that only one could ever hope for. He loved her so very much and adored her and she with him. They were married 63 years. What a blessing. “WHAT A BLESSING.” God meant for the two of them to find each other, becoming each other’s soul mates, lifelong partners and to be blessed with a beautiful, loving family.

From Daniel’s kind, yet strong, loving and nurturing personality, from his wonderful and charismatic joking to his mastery of the guitar and harmonica to the amazing dance moves that he’d always share with his family and friends to being “completely inclusive” of everyone he’d ever met, this will never be forgotten. “No words” can ever adequately “do justice” to describe the caliber of human being…Man, son, brother, devoted loving husband, father and grandfather that Daniel Flowers, Sr., was in this lifetime. The legacy that he leaves behind “is in every one of his children and his grandchildren.” They will carry on his legacy and to future generations and make sure they know of the great man, Daniel Flowers, Sr., the one and only true patriarch of the Flowers Family. In their hearts and in the precious memories that will live inside of them forever. “FOREVER.”

Also, ALL THE LIVES he touched, the people that he so truly, genuinely and passionately touched and made a real difference in their lives…Those that he interacted with and significantly touched in a positive way…They will never forget him. “WE” will never forget him. “Until we meet, again, Dad, in heaven, with all the angels and saints and with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I, Michael Stephen Flowers, am "so blessed, honored, and privileged" to be your son and to have you as my father...'My Best Friend' In the Entire World. Amen.”

In lieu of flowers, the Flowers Family asks that you please make a kind donation to the NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION.