Nonagene Daniel

Family-Placed Death Notice

DANIEL, Nonagene Mrs. Nonagene Farrill Daniel, age 90, of Lithonia, Ga., passed away Sunday, April 15th in Elberton, Ga. where she had been a resident of Magnolia Estates. A life-long native of Lithonia, she was the daughter of the late Carl Melvin Farrill, Sr. and Adeline Kelley Farrill. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, the late William Thomas Daniel, Sr. Mrs. Daniel was a 1939 graduate of Lithonia High School where she was awarded a 4-H Scholarship to attend West Georgia College. Following a year at West Georgia, Mrs. Daniel entered Emory University School of Nursing in 1940. At Emory, Mrs. Daniel was one of the first nursing students to initiate the Bachelors of Nursing program in 1942 and was chosen for a Pediatric Nursing rotation at New York City's Bellevue Hospital. After graduation from Emory in 1943, Mrs. Daniel immediately joined the United States Navy Nurse Corps as a Lt. JG and was stationed at Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Va. and the US Marine Corp. Training Center at Paris Island, SC., caring for Marines back from the Pacific. She would remember them as "just boys". After World War II, Mrs. Daniel served as a Public Health Nurse in Atlanta then returned to Emory in 1948 serving as a member of the faculty for the School of Nursing and as Clinical Director at Emory University Hospital until 1952. Twenty years later, a former Nursing School faculty colleague would remember her as "one of our best". Together with her husband, a 1954 graduate of the Emory School of Law, they were the first of three generations of Emory graduates. She was always honored to have been a part of the "Emory story". A dedicated Christian, Mrs. Daniel was a faithful member of the Lithonia First Baptist Church from childhood. For over four decades she provided prayerful devotion to her church and her faith, leading the Women's Missionary Union, teaching children in the annual Vacation Bible School, chairing various committees and teaching Sunday school classes for children, youth and adults. She considered the support of Christian missionaries a "calling" and together with her husband, built and maintained a special home in Lithonia for furloughed missionaries from throughout the world. A mentor to many young women and men, she was a "listening ear" and "encourager" to generations of young people providing prayerful guidance as they planned their educations, careers and families. Mrs. Daniel was active in the Lithonia community serving in many capacities in the Lithonia Women's Club, volunteering as a school nurse in the local schools, leading Cub Scouts and serving in various PTA capacities. She was a regular volunteer nurse at the Lithonia Public Health Center and opened the community's first "Clothes Bank" in the early 1960's for needy families. Although a dedicated nurse and educator, she considered her "greatest calling" to be that of ì"mother". The DeKalb Chapter of the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs even named her "Mother of the Year" in the 1970's. Mrs. Daniel described her life as one of "different seasons": Student, Nurse, Naval Officer, Teacher, Educator, Mentor, Friend, Grand mother, Great-Grand mother and with great distinction, Mother. With deep and abiding love for each other, she and her husband raised three sons in Lithonia, sharing with them the confidence of their faith in Christ, supporting and encouraging them in every endeavor. In the lives of all she touched, in every responsibility she accepted, with the deepest faith in God and His purpose for each individual, Gene Daniel made a difference. Mrs. Daniel is survived by Mr. & Mrs. William Thomas Daniel, Jr. (Linda) of Savannah, Ga.; Mr. & Mrs. Michael Farrill Daniel (Cynthia) of Huntsville, Ala., and Dr. & Mrs. Mark Lassiter Daniel (Dena) of Elberton, Ga. Her grandchildren: Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Daniel Harlan (Scott) of Snellville, Ga., William Thomas Daniel, III, Robert Hampton Daniel (both of Savannah, Ga.), Catherine Jean Daniel, Alexander Farrill Daniel (both of Huntsville, Ala.), Lora Grace Daniel, Caroline Hope Daniel and Kelly Christine Daniel (all of Elberton, Ga.) and her great-granddaughter Ann Marie Harlan. Mrs. Daniel is also survived by her dear brother and sister-in-law, Mr. & Mrs. Carl M. Farrill, Jr. (Eva) of Lithonia, Ga., her niece Mrs. Carla Farrill Miles (Mitchel) of Lithonia; nieces Ms. Melinda Cowan and Ms. Susan Cowan Klem of Conyers, Ga., Mrs. Jacquelyn Ann Blankenship of Louisiana and nephew Mr. & Mrs. Walter G. Stanley, III (Marsha) of Martinez, Ga. Funeral Services for Mrs. Daniel will be held at First Baptist Church of Lithonia on Sunday April 22nd at 3:00 PM. The family will receive friends at the church prior to the service from 1:00 - 2:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lithonia First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 378, Lithonia, Ga. 30058 or to the Elbert County Hospital Foundation, 4 Medical Drive, Elberton, Ga. 30635. The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the wonderful and caring staff at Magnolia Estates Assisted Living Home in Elberton, and for the prayerful support of so many dear friends and family. Arrangements by Henry Funeral Home, Lithonia, 770-482-4411, henryfuneral.com.