Nancy Daniel

Nancy suffered a massive stroke while vacationing with family in Branson, Missouri and died Sunday in Springfield, Missouri. She was born in Dallas, Texas on May 26,1932 to Opal Bailey Crosby and Rev. Uel D. Crosby, the second of three children. As a daughter of a United Methodist minister, she lived in various parsonages throughout West Texas including Throckmorton, Roscoe, Ralls, Tulia, Canadian, Seymour, Hereford, and Lubbock, where she graduated high school. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education from Texas Tech University on May 25, 1953. She taught Home Economics at Lubbock High School for two years and started the Home Economic Program at Monterrey High School. On April 11, 1954, she married Tommie Degges Daniel Jr, whom she met through her brother Uel. In 1956, she stopped teaching and dedicated herself to become a professional mother with the births of Tommie, Larry and Mary.

Nancy started her sales career, selling wildflowers to churchgoers before Sunday services. While raising her children, she sold Tupperware, World Book Encyclopedias and Lady Venus Cosmetics. Her real estate career started at age 53 while living in Dallas. She relocated to Temple in 1987. In these 37 years, she had over a billion dollars in sales including the 9 transactions in 2022 totaling $2.75 million.

She was a member of the National, Texas and Temple-Belton Association of Realtors. The Temple-Belton Board of Realtors elected her President in 1996,1999, and 2000. She served on the State of Texas Real Estate Ethics Board and other committees. She was president of the Temple-Belton Women’s Council of Realtors and in 1994 was named “Realtor of the Year.”

Nancy was extremely active in her church and UMC Central Texas Conference, leading and serving on various committees, participating in United Methodist Women, Sunday School and singing in the choir until her death.

She was active in the Daughters of the American Revolution where she served as treasurer and chaplain. She was also chair for both the Nominations Committee and the Committee for Community Service and a member of the Audit Committee and Scholarship Committee.

She is survived by her children, sons Tommie Degges Daniel III and wife Cherie of Albuquerque NM, Lawrence Stewart Daniel and life partner Candace McCollough of Atlanta GA, and a daughter Mary Lou Daniel of Temple TX. She is also survived by granddaughters Katherine Wilkinson and husband David of Epsom, United Kingdom and Anna Nelson-Daniel of Atlanta GA, great-granddaughters Sophie and Hannah Wilkinson of Epsom, United Kingdom as well as brother Uel Crosby and sister-in-law Margaret of Dallas TX and several nieces and nephews.

Not hers by blood, but special to her were 2 step-grandchildren Jacob Dickson and wife Charli of Montalba TX, Mikya Wiltse and husband Nathan of Sweetwater TX, 6 step-great-grandchildren, Cheyenne, Kialyn, Kamryn, Laramie, Case, Broc, and a great-great-grandchild to be born later this month.

The family is receiving visitors at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple on Friday, October 7th, from 4 – 6 P.M. and the funeral is Saturday, October 8th at 10 A.M. at First United Methodist Church of Temple.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Nancy Daniel Choral Scholarship Fund at First United Methodist Church in Temple or to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief. (www.umcmission.org)