Harold Mayo Daniels

Harold Mayo Daniels April 10, 1927 – February 5, 2015Harold Daniels was born in Walla Walla, Washington, April 10, 1927, to Ralph Lionel Daniels, and Lillie Maude (Smith) Daniels.  He was married to Josephine Marie Keller November 8, 1952, recently celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary.  Their children are: Stephen (b. 1953), Mark (b. 1956), Randy (b. 1957), and Beth (b. 1960). He attended grade school in College Place, Washington, and High School in Walla Walla, Washington. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Northwest Nazarene College in 1948. During college he was actively involved with student publications. He edited the 1947 college yearbook which was awarded a First Class rating by the National Scholastic Press Association. With a focus on preparing for pastoral ministry, he enrolled in Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, earning the Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1951.  During his senior year he served as a student assistant in a newly formed Presbyterian congregation. Ordained in the Church of the Nazarene May 21, 1953, he briefly served congregations in Oregon and Washington. His growing divergence with Nazarene theology and practice led him to sever his relationship with the Church of the Nazarene and he was received into the United Presbyterian Church in the USA in 1958. He served as assistant pastor of First United Presbyterian Church in Kalispell, Montana for one year, then as pastor of First United Presbyterian Church in Conrad, Montana (1959-1968), and pastor of St. Andrew United Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico (1968-1978). During his pastoral ministry he served as stated clerk of the Presbytery of Glacier (1959-1968), and the first stated clerk of the newly formed Presbytery of Santa Fe (1973-1978). While a pastor, in 1965, he was accepted into the Advanced Pastoral Studies Program at San Francisco Theological Seminary, and received the Master of the Science of Theology degree in 197l, and Doctor of the Science of Theology in 1976. In 1977 he was listed in Who’s Who in Religion. In 1978 he was chosen to serve on the national staff of the Presbyterian Church as director of the Joint Office of Worship serving both the northern (UPCUSA) and southern (PCUS) branches of the Presbyterian Church, with the office in Louisville, Kentucky. Upon reunion of the northern and southern churches, he staffed the Office of Worship of the reunited Presbyterian Church (USA) until retiring in 1993. He and his wife, Marie, then returned to live in Albuquerque. During his tenure in the Office of Worship his monumental responsibility was to serve as project director and editor of the Book of Common Worship (1993). It received wide ecumenical acclaim as “the finest printed worship resource currently available in the English language.” A prolific writer, his writings on worship have been published in numerous books, periodicals and journals. He authored two books, and edited many others. His first book, written at the conclusion of his St. Andrew pastorate was dedicated “To the ‘saints’ of St. Andrew among whom he learned the meaning of Christian community.” This book was selected by the Academy of Parish Clergy, as “one of the ten most useful books published for parish pastors in 1979.” Ecumenism was a consuming passion for him, actively serving in numerous ecumenical agencies. He served on the Consultation on Common Text responsible for developing liturgical resources such as the Common Lectionary. He served a term on the Board of Directors of The Liturgical Conference, and chaired the National Council of Church’s Commission on Worship and the Arts. After retirement, he represented the Presbytery of Santa Fe on the board of directors of the Ecumenical Institute for Ministry (New Mexico) during its formative years. He has been a longtime member of the North American Academy of Liturgy and the international Societas Liturgica. In 1995, he was awarded the prestigious Berakah Award of the North American Academy of Liturgy in recognition of his contribution to liturgical renewal and ecumenism. In 1997 he was given Honorary Membership in the Presbyterian Association of Musicians. In retirement he continued writing for journals and advancing liturgical reform. In 2004 he was one of the founders of the Association for Reformed & Liturgical Worship which is dedicated to liturgical renewal. He enjoyed hiking the mountain trails of the Northwest, especially those in Glacier National Park and was an avid photographer and winemaker. He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Lionel Daniels, mother, Lillie Maude (Smith) Daniel, and brothers, Melvin Andrew Daniels and Rolland Jerome Daniels. He is survived by his wife Marie, their children Stephen Daniels and wife Leora Byrne, Mark Daniels and wife Kari (Gruner) Daniels, Randy Daniels and wife Carmen (Otero) Daniels, Beth (Daniels) Price and husband Bill Price, grandchildren, Christopher Daniels and wife Megan, Kara Daniels and husband Trevor Larson, Jenifer Daniels, Jarod Daniels and one great-grandson, Jacob. Please share your memories with the family.  A Ecumenical Eucharist will be observed on  Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 11:00am at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church at 5301 Ponderosa Ave. NE Albuquerque, NM 87110. In lieu of flowers donations may be given in Harold's honor to Roadrunner Food Bank http://www.rrfb.org/ 5840 Office Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 or Avivara at http://www.avivara.org/ 7202 33rd NW Seattle, WA 98117. To view information or leave a condolence, please visit www.danielsfuneral.com  
Daniels Family Funeral Services
7601 Wyoming Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505-821-0010