This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Thelma McDaniel, 96 years old, born on September 20, 1923 and passed away on August 24, 2020. We will remember her forever as a wonderful, brilliant and gifted person that will be truly missed by everyone that knew her in life.
Thelma grew up in the borough of Staten Island, New York City. Though sparsely populated, it was (is) part of one of the world’s most complex and fascinating cities. Staten Island had many two and three-story houses, with a different family living on each floor. The apartments were big, however, with a living room, dining room, kitchen, one bathroom, and usually two bedrooms to each floor.
Thelma’s father was Carlous Richardson, born in Somerset, KY and mother, Marie Fasula Richardson Geddes, born in Manhattan NYC. She had one sister; Barbara Richardson Taylor, who was five years younger.
Memories of Thelma’s early childhood included: Many neighborhood children to play with, hopscotch, jump rope, roller skating, jacks, and street games like “King of the Hill” and “Red Rover”. Reading was a passion for Thelma early on. There was not money to buy books, except for Christmas so many of her books were acquired via the library. Thelma’s favorite movies were musicals and comedies.
Thelma went to Curtis H.S. on Staten Island and enjoyed Latin, French, drama, and journalism along with field hockey, basketball, and swimming. Here first job was at Chase National Bank as a page girl making $65.00 a month.
Thelma went to Hunter College in Manhattan and then moved to Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee in the fall of 1942. She met Fred and fell in love. Fred went to the war 1943 during which time Thelma moved to the University of Iowa to finish her degree in Theatre Arts and graduated in 1946. They married on August 26, 1946 and moved to the Knoxville, TN for Fred to finish his degree at the University of Tennessee.
Thelma (and Fred) have two daughters, Susan and Jamie. Susan Marie McDaniel (married to Kenneth Hill) was born in Louisville, Kentucky, March 4, 1954 while Fred was a teacher and coach at Ormsby Village, and Thelma worked for the telephone company. Jamie Ruth McDaniel was born in Louisville, Kentucky on February 21, 1956 and the family moved in the summer of 1956 to Ypsilanti where Fred worked as Assistant Registrar at Eastern Michigan College (now University). Thelma started teaching in the Theater Department at EMU in 1962.
Jacqueline Taylor Downing, Thelma's niece, came to our family to live in 1959 until she was about 17 years old and is one of our family. Her brother, Carl Taylor, passed away later in life and Thelma missed him greatly.
Thelma retired from EMU in the summer of 1986. During Retirement Thelma’s passions included spending time with her family, solving New York Times crossword puzzles with ease, writing friends old and new, and keeping up with current events. Her passion for the theater remained as evidenced by annual trips to the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada.
Thelma is survived by her two aforementioned daughters, Susan and Jamie, four grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Thelma’s Grandchildren are Michael McDaniel Hodges, born March 6, 1984, married to Tina Chen; Kate McDaniel Hill, born April 29, 1985, married to Chris Dragga; Sarah Marie Hodges, born April 24, 1986; Amy McDaniel Hill, born April 1, 1987, married to Charles Cosimini; Thelma’s Great Grandchildren are Lucca Kenmark Hill Cosimini born July 14, 2017; Sofia Chen Hodges born March 1, 2019; Leo Angelo Hill Cosimini born January 15, 2020; Jacqueline Taylor Downing, Niece.
Thelma Louise McDaniel died in her sleep on August 24, 2020 at 4:10am at the home of her youngest daughter, Jamie, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Two days short of her wedding anniversary and 28 days from her 97th birthday.