Obituary of Michael Dale Daniels

DANIELS, MICHAEL DALE

Michael “Mike” Dale Daniels, age 66 of Yankton passed away on Sunday, June 25, 2017 at the Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton, SD.  Memorial services will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, July 1, 2017 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Yankton with Rev. Kwen Sanderson officiating.  Burial will be in the Yankton Cemetery with military graveside rites by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard, Yankton and the SDARNG Honor Guard, Sioux Falls.  Visitations will be from 5-7 PM, Friday, June 30, 2017 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home and Crematory, Yankton with a 7 PM Prayer service.  Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church.  Online condolences may be sent at www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.

It’s been a little over 24 hours since we lost Mike (my father in law) and I’m sitting here trying to figure out how to summarize a man’s entire life in just a few words.  I’m not sure how anyone can really describe who someone was, as a man, father and grandfather within the constraints of an obituary, but I’m going to try.  A month or two ago we were on our way back to Sioux Falls after visiting Mike at the nursing home in Yankton and my phone rang, I looked at the caller ID and it was Mike.  The conversation went something like this…Me: “Hello” Mike (with a sense of urgency in his voice): “How fast can you get back here?”   Me:  “Why, what happened?” Mike: “Nothing, just wanted to know how long it would take”.  That happened, with slight variations, more times than I can count and it really exemplified who Mike was.  He was someone who liked to joke, but more importantly someone who loved to talk and would use any reason to do just that.

Michael Dale Daniels was born at McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota October 5th, 1950 to Clifford Dale and Rosalyn (Hagen) Daniels .  He spent his early years working on his family farm just outside Vermillion and that is where he learned the work ethic that served him well throughout his life.  He spent his teen years learning how to work on cars, and would, on occasion, do something that would get him into a bit of trouble.   After a short stint in the United States Airforce, a truck driver acquaintance of his offered him a job driving truck.  Mike would go on to try other things such as construction and welding, but it was driving that he loved and would always go back to.  Some of the companies he drove for over the years include Bird Grain out of Elk point, MCT out of Sioux Falls and for Charlie Larsen (ATI) out of Irene, SD. 

On May 2nd, 1970 he married Marcia Lane and they settled down in Vermillion to raise a family.  Later that year, his “baby girl”, Tina was born.  Over time, Mike gained a son-in-law and then later two beautiful grandchildren, Alec and Emma.  Mike was so proud of his family and would brag often about his grandkids. 

Over the past several years, as his health declined and he was not able to drive as much, he became passionate about other things.  He loved restoring antique tractors.  He would buy, tear down, and then restore them to their original glory.  And for the record, they were International Harvester tractors only…not John Deere…never John Deere.  He also got his amateur radio license and would talk to folks all around the region.  Mike had not driven truck for a few years now, but would often say he would give anything to be back behind the wheel just one more time, it didn’t matter where, just him and the road.  I know he is at peace now and I imagine he is back behind that wheel. 

Mike is survived by his daughter, Tina (Joseph) Lamoreux of Sioux Falls, SD; two grandchildren, Alec and Emma Lamoreux, three sisters, June Fitch, Laurie Leyden, Susan (Doug) Sherman; one brother, Dean (Donna) Daniels and step-father David Souhrada, all of Yankton SD. 

Mike was preceded in death by his favorite brother-in-law and best friend, David Fitch of Yankton, SD; father and step mother Cliff and Gwen Daniels of Hutchinson, Kansas; his mother Rose Souhrada of Yankton, SD  and his sister Margaret Kostal of Tyndall, SD.