Bruce Daniels

Leander “Bruce” Daniels was born on January 22, 1940, in Eaton, Ohio, to Vernon Brayton Daniels and Glenna Maxine O’Neal. Bruce died of complications from Parkinson’s disease in Raleigh, NC. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, JoAnn; his sons, Gene Jones (Tonya Morris), Joe Daniels (Rhonda), Tony Daniels (Cindy) and Chris Daniels (Patty); his grandchildren, Meagan, Kyle, Nick, John and Chelsea Daniels; his brother, Bill Hapner (Alice); as well as six nephews and their families and several cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Glenna, his step-parents, Jerold and Mary Hapner, and by his sister Elizabeth “Betsy”.

Being 6’4” tall as a teenager, Bruce enjoyed playing football & basketball in high school in Pickaway Township, near Circleville, OH in 1955. Bruce later graduated from Prospect High School in Prospect, OH in June, 1958.

After graduation, Bruce worked as a lathe operator for a gold leaf embossing company named M. Swift & Sons, while also driving a cab two nights a week and studying electrical engineering three nights a week at Ohio State University. He also took guitar lessons on Saturdays. Other passions included cars, motorcycles and hunting.

On January 2, 1961, he enlisted in the Air Force and served in the Strategic Air Command. He was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Nebraska, where he trained as an Electronic Cryptographic Equipment Repairman and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was once able to see President John F. Kennedy, when the president visited Offutt AFB in 1962. Bruce also received the Airman of the Month Award in July of 1962. He was honorably discharged in October, 1965.

After the Air Force, he worked for a number of companies in Columbus, Ohio as an electrical engineer from the late 1960’s to the early 1970’s, eventually working for a company named MI Squared as a manager. It was here that he met JoAnn, who would later become the greatest love of his life.

Bruce and JoAnn married on June 15, 1979 in Columbus, Ohio and later moved to North Carolina in 1981, where Bruce went to work for Northern Telecom (Nortel) as an electrical engineer. Bruce and JoAnn were happily married for 40 years.

A celebration of life for Bruce will be held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home on 200 SE Maynard Road in Cary, NC on Friday, January 17, at 3:00 pm. The family will receive friends immediately following the service.