Marie Daniels

J Marie Daniels

November 26,1931-May 12, 2021 was born in a lumber camp in Port
Angeles, Washington to David Andrew Keller and Ida May (Shafer) Keller. She always
loved sharing her stories of life on the Olympic Peninsula before moving to Kelso,
Washington. She attended School in Kelso and graduated from Kelso HS. She was
married to Harold Mayo Daniels on November 8, 1952 and celebrated 62 years of
marriage before Harold’s passing.
Throughout their married life before returning to Albuquerque in retirement, they lived in
Oregon, Washington, Montana, New Mexico, and Kentucky while answering the call to
the ministry which was a major part of their lives together. Marie had a beautiful voice
and was an active choir member for many years. She sang a lovely duet with a fellow
choir member at one of her son’s weddings and a solo at her daughter’s wedding.
Marie wore many hats during her life. She was a daughter, sister, minister’s wife and
mother of four children, silly grandma and GGma. Vocations included: telephone
operator, a talented floral designer, and seasonal grain truck driver in Montana (she told
so many funny stories about driving a grain truck), and later a bookkeeper in Kentucky.
She was an avid basketball and track Mom, and soccer grandma. She traveled all over
the state and country to support her kids and grandkids sporting events. She would
plop her sun umbrella right at midfield with her lawn chair during soccer games to cheer
on the teams! (and cheer she did!) Marie volunteered at Montezuma Elementary for
several years, working with students and helping teachers make copies and schedule
field trips. Later she volunteered at the food pantry at the Episcopal Cathedral.
She was an avid birdwatcher and gardener. She received great pleasure from
interacting with and observing the natural world around her whether traveling or
camping in Glacier National Park, San Diego, the San Juan Mountains, the Olympic
Coast or her own backyard.
Pets were an important part of Marie’s life. She raised poodles and later fell in love with
Schnauzers. She had many cats over her lifetime - some of them acquired from children
and grandchildren. Rarely did you see her without a beloved pet snuggled in her lap.
Marie enjoyed watching hot air balloons fill the sky during the Balloon Fiesta in October.
She was inspired by their beautiful colors and shapes against the blue New Mexico sky.
Occasionally she would help crew for the Smokey Bear Balloon and Honey Bear
Balloon.
Marie loved working crossword puzzles, playing rousing games of canasta, tripoly,
dominoes, Wizard and online Monopoly and Risk, with her children, grandchildren and
great grandsons. She was always telling stories about and sharing photos of her great
grandsons as they brought her great joy. An avid reader, she devoured books and
loved listening to classical and religious music. Upon retirement she and Harold
traveled with their fifth wheel to the Northwest and San Diego. She loved driving their
Dodge truck and pulling the trailer to see new places, friends and family. After Harold’s
passing, she bought a camper van and continued to camp mostly in New Mexico with
her family and the Forest Service. She especially loved camping and watching the
beautiful sailboats with Hobie Fleet 48 at Heron Lake with The Brazos in the distance.
Marie will most definitely be remembered by her adventurous spirit and hearty laugh!
The memory of a wonderful spirit will live on in our hearts.
Marie was preceded in death by her father, David Andrew Keller, mother, Ida May
(Shafer) Keller, and husband, Harold Mayo Daniels.
She is survived by her 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 (Wilgar) Daniels, Kara Daniels and husband Trevor Larson, Jenifer
Daniels-Knuuti and husband Rob Knuuti, Jarod Daniels and two great-grandsons,
Jacob and Calder.
Memorial donations in Marie’s name may be made to Animal Humane
(animalhumanenm.org) or Roadrunner Food Bank of NM (rrfb.org).