Carol O'Daniels

Carol J. O''Daniels, 68, passed away after a brief battle with lung cancer Sunday morning, Sept. 26, 2010, at home in Shell Beach. Carol was a second generation Cleveland native who married into a pioneer San Luis Obispo family two years after having driven with her friend, Holly, to San Francisco from Ann Arbor, Mich. Carol was employed by the V.A. Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., before transferring to the Department of the Interior in San Francisco. She rose to personnel officer then administrative officer for the National Park Service''s GGNRA at the time it took over the Presidio. She married Pat one year after a memorable sail to Santa Cruz Island in his father, Howie O''Daniels,'' ketch "Nereid." The Cal Poly Hall of Fame coach told her not to tell his wife that she was the only girl on the boat. When Howie died in 1991, Carol retired to care for her mother-in-law, Mary, whose grandparents first farmed west of Bishop''s Peak in 1868. She and Pat took over running the family''s Circle Inn bar in Morro Bay. They remodeled the building and changed the name to Legends. For 10 years, Carol cooked and served corned beef sandwiches every St. Patrick''s Day. In 1992, they spent three weeks driving Mary and Burnetta Hughes all around Ireland. In 2004, Carol and Pat drove through Italy and took a 1920 post card to Sutera, Sicily with a photo of her great-grandfather, Ignasio Nicastro, standing in the plaza of this 500 year old hilltown. She was able to duplicate the photo with her in it because nothing had changed! With the help of the town baker, she met her aunt and cousin. In San Luis, Carol was active in Dine And Dance Club, The Monday Club, Republican Women and on the board of Santa Maria''s PCPA Theaterfest. She enjoyed her weekly round of golf at Laguna Lake with her "Duffettes." Carol is survived by her husband of 44 years, Patrick; son Sean (Diana) of San Clemente, Calif.; grandson, Shay O''Daniels; brothers Vern and Gene Jeppesen of Michigan; sister, Florene Schlegal of Columbus, Ohio; and uncle, Tom Nicastro of Lexington, Ohio. She was predeceased by her father, Vern Jeppsen; and mother, Betty (Nicastro) of Lake Jerome, Mich. A memorial service by "Father Russ," pastor at the Old Mission, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 1, 2010, at Reis Family Mortuary, 991 Nipomo St. in San Luis Obispo. Her ashes will be interred alongside Mary''s in the family plot at Old Mission Catholic cemetery. As a longtime Cal Poly football and basketball season ticket holder, Carol would like donations in her name to go to either sport; or to the French Hospital Hearst Cancer Center. As supporter of "Katcho" for Assembly, Carol wished that she could have lived to see The Tribune print a map of the "Ribbon of Shame" - our gerrymandered 23rd Congressional district. Reis Family Mortuary 544-7400 San Luis Obispo