Roland McDaniel

Roland McDaniel, age 89, passed away March 4, 2012 in an assisted living facility in Cleveland. He was born April 28, 1922 in Cramerton, N. C. He is preceded in death by his wife Betty Ingram McDaniel, parents Charles J. McDaniel and Amy Rhodes McDaniel plus 5 brothers and sisters: Archie O. McDaniel, KIA during WWII; Mildred Pendley; Gordon McDaniel; Lillian Williams; Bill McDaniel. He is survived by one brother Charles (Bob) McDaniel and one sister Sue Jackson. He is also survived by two sons - Archie and wife Fay; Clark and wife Twana, and four grandchildren: Matthew Ellis and wife Pam, Michelle Ellis Bowman and husband Mike, Marie McDaniel, and Chelsea McDaniel. His father moved the family to the Birmingham, AL area where his father farmed and later worked in the coal mines. He graduated from Jones Valley High School in 1940. He joined the Navy right after Pearl Harbor and served on the USS St. Louis, a light cruiser, and the USS Alpine (PA 92), a troop transport. He participated in many naval engagements against the Japanese - Guam, the Solomon Islands, etc. After WWII he attended and graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He married Betty Ingram in 1948. Upon graduating he worked for Monsanto Chemical in Anniston, Al. He moved the family to Ga. where we worked for Robert and Co. Engineering Firm of Atlanta in 1953. In 1955, after being called to preach, he moved his family to Covington, Ga. where he pastored the Covington Church of God. While there he graduated from Emory University in Atlanta with a Masters Degree in Divinity. In September of 1964 Lee College contacted him and offered him a teaching position. He moved his wife and two sons to Cleveland where they soon joined the North Cleveland Church of God. He was a devoted member and loyal supporter of this wonderful church until his death. In 1973 he graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Doctorate of Education in Mathematics. As a faculty member he attended several foreign countries supporting Lee College Singers and other club ventures of Christian nature. He and his wife Betty went on more than 25 STEP trips of the Church of God to the Southwest areas of the U.S. ministering to the American Indian tribes: Navajo, Apache, Zuni, and Arapaho. On several occasions he and Betty would travel to distant states to preach revivals, help with Bible schools, and to further spread God's word. He was a very patriotic American. He loved to say he was "proud to be an American" and always thought and taught his children and grandchildren to be respectful of America's flag, anthem, and other icons that show our heritage and love of country. Those fortunate enough to have met him, had him as a teacher, worked with him, or to have been his friend will best remember him as a man of deep Christian principles. He was devoted to the love of his life Betty for 60 years until her death in 2010. He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather who instructed them in Christian ideals and to put God and his Word first in all things. He will be deeply missed by friends and family but have the comfort of knowing he is now and forever more in the presence of God. Visitation will be Thursday, March 8, at the Dixon Chapel of the North Cleveland Church of God from 3:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Funeral services will follow at 5:30 p.m. with Pastor Mitch Maloney and Dr. Hollis Gause officiating. Members of the Unity Class of the North Cleveland Church will serve as honorary pallbearers. Interment will be Friday, March 9, at Sunset Memorial Gardens at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers and gifts the family asks that donations be made to the Roland McDaniel Scholarship Fund, Lee University, Attn: Central Gifts, 1120 N. Ocoee St., Cleveland, Tn. 37311. Grissom Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements. To send an online condolence to the family, please visit www.grissomfh.net.