Neil McDaniel

Neil McDaniel Of Lafayette passed away peacefully Sunday, September 5. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, his daughters and their husbands, Marianne and Bill Gagen and Joanne and Terry Dale. He was particularly proud of his grandchildren, Daniel, Neil and Patrick Gagen, and Erica and Andrew Hahn, and great grandchildren, Madeline Gagen and Colten Hahn. He considered them to be his legacy. Neil was born October 6, 1916, the second son of Joseph Kyle McDaniel and Lotta Helen Wilson in Walla Walla, Washington. He attended grammar schools in Oregon and Washington, and graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1934. After graduating in 1937 from Santa Ana Junior College in California where he was Student Body President, he attended Northwestern University at Evanston Illinois on a one year scholarship (too cold), and then graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1939. He worked for Equitable Life In Oakland and then served as an Aviation Supply Officer, US Navy in World War II. While stationed at Norfolk, VA, he met a young WAVE officer, Amelia Corvaia. For him it was love at first sight. For her, he stood out among the young naval officers as gentlemanly, generous, and solicitous of others. After a full court press, he was able to convince a young Italian girl from Brooklyn to marry him in September 1944. They were married for 51 years. While in the Navy, in addition to serving at Norfolk, he was stationed in the Canal Zone, Panama, then aboard the USS Boxer and finally he served on the staff of the Commander Air Force, Pacific Fleet, in Pearl Harbor. He left active duty in 1946 as a Lt. Commander. He was an intuitive entrepreneur, working in commercial real estate, consumer products, and the automotive after market industries. More than once, he took tiny companies and grew them into leaders in their field. Throughout his career his personal mantra was "Integrity, Performance, and Improvement." He believed that customer service was paramount. In 1969, he became president of Motor and Equipment Manufacturer's Association (MEMA) and also served as president of the Automotive Presidents' Council. He was honored in 1971 by MEMA for outstanding service to the industry. He believed strongly in volunteer service. He was a volunteer for Clausen House, and served on the boards of the Oakland Symphony, the Easter Seal Society of Alameda County, the East Bay Community Foundation, and Holy Names University, where in 2007 he was awarded a doctorate of Humane Letters. He was a generous benefactor of Northern Lights School and Next Step Learning Center in Oakland. To say he was an avid golfer, is an understatement. A member of Sequoyah and Orinda Country Clubs, he loved to taunt his playing partners (much better golfers) that he had seven "holes in one" compared to their many fewer. Neil was blessed to marry Barbara Bonds in 1998 and they lived happily in Lafayette. In addition to being a part of the family, Barbara was a wonderful wife and best friend to Neil for which the entire family is grateful. He was a generous, loving, inspiring man who cared deeply about his family and friends. He loved life and had a great sense of humor. He was a mentor to untold numbers of people. He was a loyal and thoughtful friend to countless and they repaid him during the last months of his life with visits and messages of love and support. He will be sorely missed. Services will be 10:00 AM Friday September 10, Christ the King Catholic Church, 199 Brandon Road, Pleasant Hill. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to a charity of your choice or to Holy Names University, 3500 Mountain Blvd., Oakland CA 94605.