FRANK DANIELS

DANIELS--Frank A., Jr. On June 30, Frank A. Daniels Jr. died at age 90; peacefully in bed at his home after a month of declining health. His wife of 68 years, Julia Jones Daniels, was by his side. Frank was born in Raleigh, NC, to Ruth Aunspaugh Daniels and Frank Arthur Daniels, and into a newspaper family. He was proud, as he would say, that he was born with "ink in his veins," and he loved The News and Observer and its role in Raleigh, in North Carolina, and that it was also part of a national industry that was important to preserving and protecting the people and the country they built. His obituary from the Associated Press said, "During his 26 years as publisher of the paper of record for state politics and government, The N&O became a regional powerhouse for news, especially from the state's growing Research Triangle region, and an online pioneer. Similarly, his tenure as chair of AP's board of directors in the mid-1990s was marked by the not-for-profit news cooperative's technological expansion." His grandfather, Josephus Daniels, bought The News and Observer in 1894 and was editor and publisher of the newspaper until his death in 1948. His father was publisher from then until 1971, when Frank Jr. was named president and publisher. In 1996, the newspaper received the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service journalism for its work on the political and environment dangers that the hog industry was creating in North Carolina. During his lifetime of service to the publishing industry, Frank served as chairman of the board of The Associated Press. He also served as president of the North Carolina Press Association, the Newspaper Advertising Bureau, and the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. Frank attended Woodberry Forest School and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in 1953. In 1954, he married Julia Jones, of Raleigh, and they became a formidable couple. On their 50th anniversary in 2004, Frank and Julia completed a goal Julia set early in their marriage - to visit all 50 state capitol buildings. Frank was a longtime supporter of education in North Carolina. He served on the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, as a trustee of Woodberry Forest School, St. Mary's College, Peace College and Appalachian State University, as well at the Institute of Private Enterprise at Kenan Flagler School of Business at UNC-Chapel Hill. He also served on countless community, state and national boards including as chairman of the Smithsonian Institution's National Board as well as a director of the Smithsonian Business Ventures, the RDU Airport Authority, UNC Health board and as chairman of AAA of the Carolinas. For his civic leadership, he was recognized with the A.E. Finley Award for Public Service, the North Carolina Museum of History's Philanthropist of the Year award, and North Carolina's highest civilian honor, the North Carolina Award for Public Service. A lifelong Democrat, Frank offered support to many of North Carolina's most successful politicians, and his fundraisers for them, and other causes, were legendary. The News & Observer's endorsements were coveted. However, upon Daniels' retirement in 1996, Senator Jesse Helms wrote, "Congratulations and thanks a lot. If I didn't have your newspaper's opposite stand, I couldn't have been elected in 1972. Most recently, I appreciate your newspaper's help in electing me to my fifth Senate term." Surviving him, in addition to his wife, are his daughter, Julie Daniels and her husband, Tom West, of Sun Valley, ID, and Raleigh; son, Frank A. Daniels III and his wife, Carol Goss Daniels, of Clarksville, TN; three grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.