ROCKLAND — John Edward Daniels, loyal brother to Susan Stonestreet, died on Tuesday morning, December 27, 2022 from complications of covid at Sussman House in Rockport.

John was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania in 1940.  He grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia and then in Silver Spring, Maryland where he graduated from Montgomery Blair High School. He spent four years in the US Coast Guard, stationed on Staten Island, New York, and spent many tours of duty sitting in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean serving as a radioman on a Coast Guard weather ship. Upon finishing his military experience, John went to the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, earning a BA degree in business administration.

John worked with International Harvester which became Navistar International for a number of years in eastern Pennsylvania. When John was asked what he did for a living, he would say, “I sell manure spreaders.” Actually, John was the supervising manager over a number of IH dealers. He never personally sold manure spreaders!

While he was living in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and working for IH he met his future wife, Carol, in the laundry room of the apartment building where they were both living. She invited him up to her apartment for a drink, and John answered, “I don’t drink.” She wondered about this fellow in his early 30s who didn’t drink. But, he went up “for a drink” anyway, and the rest is history. They were married on August 3, 1970 and spent the next 49 years happily together until Carol’s death from Alzheimer’s in 2019.

After John left IH in the early 2000s he and Carol moved to Bradenton, Florida where he went to work with his sister, Susan, as Certified Financial Planners for American Express, now Ameriprise Financial.

John retired from Ameriprise in 2012 and moved with Carol to The Villages, Florida, where his brother Butch and his wife Joan were living in retirement. John and Butch spent many happy years playing golf in The Villages and enjoying the companionship they had never had the opportunity to experience before as brothers.

When Carol died in 2019, John moved to Maine to be near his sister and sister-in-law, knowing that at some point he would need someone to help him as he grew older. He first lived in Penobscot Shores in Belfast, enjoying several years there and making good friends. He then moved to Bartlett Woods in Rockland in July, 2021, realizing he needed more help each day than he could receive in Penobscot Shores. John had developed several challenging medical conditions between 2015 and 2020. As his health caused his life to become somewhat diminished he relied more on his sister and sister-in-law to help him. Because of the wonderful care and community of Bartlett Woods, John’s last year and a half were filled with good experiences. His wry sense of humor was much appreciated by both residents and staff there.

John is predeceased by his parents, Keith and Olive Daniels; his brother Keith Daniels, Jr. (Butch), and his wife, Carol.  

He is survived by his sister, Susan Stonestreet; his sisters-in-law, Nance Brown and Joan Daniels; his nephews, Eric and Scott Daniels and their families; his cousins Jean Altizer and Alan Cox; good friend Louenne Robbins; and the residents and staff at Bartlett Woods.  

Also surviving is John’s beloved canine companion, Roo.

In accordance with John’s wishes, there will be no public memorial service for him.

A private time of remembering his life will be held at Bartlett Woods later in January.

If you would like to honor him in another way, you may make memorial donations in John’s name to Avian Haven, 418 N. Palermo Road, Freedom, ME 04941, an avian rehabilitation center, and/or to Bartlett Woods, 20 Bartlett Drive, Rockland, ME 04841 for a memorial bench to be placed along the walkway around Bartlett Woods where so many residents there take their daily walks.

You may also remember to help another smile each day, as John strived to do.

Condolences may be shared at www.longfuneralhomecamden.com. Arrangements are with the Long Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 9 Mountain Street, Camden.