Jacob Basker Daniel

Jacob Basker Daniel April 17th, 1943 October 25th, 2015 Loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend Born April 17th, 1943 in Egmore General Hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Jacob Basker Daniel was the tenth child born to Chandra Hassan Daniel and Grace Thilaimani. Jacob was preceded by his brothers and sisters Moses, William, Victor, Ruby, George, Stephen, Bennial, Stella, and Virginia. The previous three children before Jacob's birth, Bennial, Stella, and Virginia, did not survive infancy. As such, Jacob's birth and good health gave his parents great joy. Tragically, Jacob's mother Grace unexpectedly died when he was only eighteen months old. While the older siblings, (Moses, William, and Victor) were away at boarding school, Jacob and the young siblings of the family, (Ruby, George, and Stephen), were sent to live with separate relatives. Jacob was taken in by the family of his father's eldest sister. When Jacob was six years old, his father, Daniel, was able to bring him back home to Bobboli, Andhra Pradesh. Being reunited with his father was one of the greatest moments of his childhood. This joyful reunion would be short-lived as his father passed away a few short years later. Jacob would spend some time living with family including his brother, William, in Banjalore. At the age of 12, Jacob entered school in Prakasapurm, Tamil Nadu. Jacob would also spend time in Pune to complete his Secondary School Leaving Certificate, the equivalent of 12th grade education. After obtaining his SSLC, Jacob attended Spicer Memorial College in Pune to become a pastor. He would serve as a Pastor in Kadalur, Tamil Nadu, planting a number of Seventh-Day Adventist churches in southern India. Jacob was introduced to Chellam Christdas through his eldest brother Moses. In what can only be described as love at first sight, Jacob and Chellam were married in 1975. Soon after, they welcomed the birth of their first and second sons, Edwin Enoch and Elijah Nithyanand, in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. With the help of his brother, George, Jacob immigrated to the United States in 1980. There, he worked a number of working class jobs in Hinsdale, Illinois to raise money to bring his wife and children to the U.S. In 1982, Jacob was finally reunited with his family when Chellam, Edwin, and Elijah made the journey from India to the United States. The family made their home in Clarendon Hills, Illinois as Jacob worked for Hinsdale Adventist Hospital. Not long after, Jacob and Chellam welcomed a third son, Chandran Joel. While Jacob was finally able to rejoin his wife and children, he still longed to be reunited with his siblings and their families. It was not until the mid-1990s that he was finally able to stand in the same room with all six of his siblings since being scattered after his parents' deaths. His reunion with his siblings marked one of the greatest highlights of his life. All of the Daniel siblings were connected by their deep faith and tremendous musical gifts. Many of them were formally trained in the classical south Indian music. After finally being reunited, the family would frequently come together to present programs of praise, worship, and music for local churches and the South Asian community in Michigan and Illinois. This love of God and music was a gift that they passed on to their children and grandchildren. Jacob and his family would eventually move to Bolingbrook in the late 1980s. Jacob became an active member and Elder of the Bolingbrook Seventh-Day Adventist Church. In the early 1990s, Jacob and Chellam bought a house in Romeoville where they would live for almost fifteen years. After his sons moved out of their home in Romeoville, Jacob retired and moved with Chellam to Springfield, Illinois in the winter of 2005. While in Springfield, Jacob continued to work as a school bus driver. He became an active member and Elder of the Springfield Seventh-Day Adventist Church. He spent his last few years enjoying the company of his extended family, specifically his grandchildren. While privately his health declined, Jacob made every effort to spend as much time as possible with family. Jacob finally came to sleep in the promise of Jesus Christ on the morning of October 25th, 2015. While his passing was unexpected, we take great comfort in his strongly held faith that he would someday be reunited with his family again in Heaven. Jacob was well-known for his gentle spirit and generous heart. He was like a second father to the many people he met. It is difficult think of a world without his infectious laughter, the songs of his beautiful tenor, and the warmth of his tight embrace. Jacob is survived by his brothers, George Daniel (Vimala) of Berrien Springs, Michigan and William Daniel (Rajammal) of Plainfield, Indiana; his wife, Chellam Daniel of Springfield, Illinois; his sons, Edwin Daniel of Springfield, Illinois, Elijah Daniel (Jenifer) of Bolingbrook, Illinois, and Chandran Daniel (Heidi) of Plainfield, Illinois; and his grandchildren, Jaden Daniel, Jayce Daniel, Jessica Daniel, and Levi Daniel; and the families of his numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation: Family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield. Funeral Ceremony: 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October, 29, 2015 at Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home, with Pastor John Lewis officiating. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to: Springfield Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 3300 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, IL 62707.