Roy Clayton Daniel, Jr.

Captain Roy Clayton Daniel Jr., age 89, of Southport, North Carolina passed away on Friday, May 16, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. A fifth-generation Southport native, Captain Daniel was born December 4, 1935, at Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport, son of the late Dr. Roy Clayton Daniel and Eunice Daniel Huntley.

Captain Daniel was a member of the Southport High School Class of 1954. He attended Georgia Military Academy, where he played football, and received a full scholarship to Florida State University to play football.

There were a number of career choices Captain Daniel had before him, but his Southport birth and upbringing left him with saltwater in his veins, so he followed his heart and chose the sea. His seaward travels took him all over the world, but he was happy to return to his beloved Southport to join the Wilmington Cape Fear Pilots Association. He piloted ships on the Cape Fear River for 26 years until his retirement. In his career he also served as a pilot in Corpus Christi, Texas and the Panama Canal and held pilot licenses for Morehead City, North Carolina and the Cape Cod Canal in Massachusetts.

When not piloting ships, Captain Daniel enjoyed deep sea diving, fishing, hunting, pistol matches, shooting pool, and reading. He was a 32° Mason and past Master of the Southport Masonic Lodge 249 AF&AM, a member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, and served in the U.S. Army.

Although his life was a series of adventures, Captain Daniel’s greatest joy was spending time with family. He took great pride in their every accomplishment and was fiercely protective of those he loved. While the titles he earned ranged from Captain to Master, his most cherished was Grandfather. Whether leading them on a tour of Southport in his truck to tell tall pirate tales or saluting them with a ship’s horn while sailing by on the river, there was no other job to be done or higher priority when his granddaughters were nearby, and he expressed his love for them in ways only Poppie could.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Daniel; four children, Sam Watts and wife Ronda; Roy Daniel, III; David Watts; and Hannah Daniel Jernigan and husband Dennis; and two granddaughters, Laney Watts and Ava Grace Jernigan.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 pm, on Monday, May 19, 2025, in the Northwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, 600 College Street, Oxford, NC 27565.

Online condolences may be made at www.peacocknewnamwhite.com

Peacock - Newnam & White Funeral and Cremation Service, Southport, North Carolina.