Billy Don Daniel

Billy Don Daniel, 88, of Parker, Colorado, was called home to Jesus on August 8, after a short battle with cancer. His passing was painless and peaceful, and he was surrounded by his family in the home he built.

Don was born on November 13, 1936, in Hereford, Texas, to Melissa Josephine Pope and John Aubrey Daniel. He had an older brother, Jerrold, and a younger brother, Gary. He graduated from Lubbock High School in 1955, where he played football and sang in the choir (with Buddy Holly!).

Don attended Texas Tech University for one year, joined the Naval Reserve, and then enlisted in the United States Navy. He went to San Diego for communication training and upon completion was shipped to Washington, DC, to study Russian.

He was then stationed at a U.S. Air Force base which had a Navy detachment assigned to it near a small town in Turkey on the Bay of Ismet. He served on active duty from March 1957 to February 1960. Don later obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia University in June 1962. He obtained a Master of Business Administration from West Texas State University in May 1968.

While serving in the Navy and visiting Italy, Don met his first wife, Maryanna (Mia) Stein, while she was there on a sightseeing trip before visiting her grandparents in Germany. They were married on February 6, 1960, in New York City and had two children together: Theresa Diane in 1962 and John Paul Karl in 1963.

A few months following Maryanna's untimely passing on March 17, 1964, Don's company paid for him to transfer to Lubbock, so he returned to his hometown where his parents could help him with Theresa and John. It was there he met his second wife, Barbara Elizabeth Applegate, who worked at the same company. They were married on October 9, 1964. Don and Barb moved to Colorado in October 1968 and their son William Frederick was born in 1970. Don and Barb celebrated 60 years together in 2024.

Don was a charismatic, outgoing man and never met a stranger. He worked many years in sales and was proud to be the person who sold the first mainframe computer to Denver Public Schools. He brought home one of the first Commodore PET computers sold in the state of Colorado to share his love of technology with his son John.

Don also ran a successful real estate company for several years with his good friend Tom Rouen, who died in March 2011 nearly breaking Don's heart. Don and Barb loved Morgan horses and raised them in the 70s and 80s, showing around Colorado and the Morgan Grand Nationals with their children Theresa and Bill. Most of all, Don loved Jesus and was deeply involved in the ministries at his church. He let God's light shine from him everywhere he went.

Don is dearly missed by his large family, including his daughter Theresa and her husband David, son John and his wife Stephanie, son Bill and his wife Nancy, grandchildren Laura, Andrea, Bethany, Mary, David, Benjamin, Makenna, Chloe, Landon, and great-grandchildren Jace, Aubriana, Carter, Matthew, Lexi, and Rylee. He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, cousins, and his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law who all treasured his presence in their lives. He is preceded in death by his mother Melissa Josephine, his father John, his brothers Jerrold and Gary, and his first wife Maryanna.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 16, at 2pm at his home church, Parker Evangelical Presbyterian, where he was an active member of the congregation for well over 20 years. Join us in person at 9030 Miller Road, Parker CO 80136, or virtually at www.PEPC.org.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to support ministries dear to Don's heart by clicking "give online" on the PEPC website. Be sure to add a note indicating that your gift is in honor of Don Daniel.