James Andrew Daniels

70, of DeSoto, TX passed away on February 19, 2013. The family will receive friends on Friday - February 22, 2013 from 10:00 A.M. till 11:00 A.M. in the Bassett Chapel of Cliff Temple Baptist Church, 125 Sunset, Dallas, TX 75208. Funeral Services will begin at 11:00 A.M. following the visitation with Rev. Wes Keyes, officiating. Interment will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery, Calera, Oklahoma. James Andrew Daniels was born April 17, 1942 in rural Bryan County, Oklahoma. He died on February 19, 2013 at Charlton Methodist Hospital in Dallas from complications brought on by his long, hard fight with MS. Memorials are encouraged to the Rose Hill Cemetery Association. Jimmy Daniels is survived by his loving wife, Idetta Daniels, his daughter, Christy Daniels Roseveare, his son-in-law Dan Roseveare, and his three grandchildren Caleb James Roseveare, Ella Mae Roseveare and Aaron Clark Roseveare. He is also survived by his sister Katherine Finlan, his brother Bill Daniels, his sister Patsy Coalter, and numerous nieces and nephews. The youngest of seven children, Jimmy grew up loved and adored by his big country family. The Daniels worked hard and played hard, and Jimmy never lost his deep sense of attachment to the farm. Jimmy went to school in Calera, Oklahoma where, in high school, he played basketball for the State Championship Bulldogs basketball team. Calera is also where he met his high school sweetheart and wife of 51 years, Idetta Pugh. Jimmy and Idetta graduated from Calera in 1960 and moved on to Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma. They were married on December 22, 1961. Jimmy graduated from Southeastern with a BA in Business in 1963. That fall he and Idetta made the move to Texas and began their work for the DeSoto Independent School District. The Daniels continued to return to their Oklahoma roots each summer where they completed graduate courses at Southeastern, and Jimmy soon earned his Masters degree in Education. Jimmy’s 27 year career with DeSoto ISD would include stints as a 6th grade teacher, the principal of Ruby Young Elementary and, eventually, the Assistant Superintendant of Schools over Personnel and Curriculum. Out of it all, however, he loved his years working with the amazing staff at Ruby Young the very best. Following his career in education, Jimmy spent a number of years working with both family businesses ventures. In May of 1973, Jimmy and Idetta welcomed their only child, Christy. Jimmy was a proud father who made it his mission in life to make sure that she had and did everything she ever wanted. Later he transferred that mission to his three grandchildren, Caleb, Ella and Aaron. He spent much of his retirement with his brother Joe Daniels and his brother in law Jim Pugh in building a beautiful log cabin on Lake Athens in east Texas where he and Idetta hoped to spend much of their retirement years and hanging out with life long friends Virginia and Harrell Baker. Unfortunately, in late 2007, Jimmy began to experience symptoms of what would turn out to be Multiple Sclerosis. Over the next five years, Jimmy remained strong as MS slowly, but steadily, robbed him of his ability to accomplish even the most basic of daily tasks, but it never took his ability to love and cherish his precious family, particularly his grandchildren and his dear wife.