Harold
Daniel was a close friend of mine for over
sixty years. We were schoolmates from
seventh through twelfth grades in
Amarillo, Texas. During those years I
observed that Harold was an extremely
intelligent young man who had a great
interest in many areas of life. At
an early age he demonstrated an unusually
high sense of ethics and morality. His
concern was always first and foremost for
the other person, a concern he showed to
his final days.
Harold and I were roommates--along with
Colin Gracey--for four years at Yale
University. We suffered together through
all the social and academic
challenges of our Ivy adventure. He seemed
to thrive on challenges. Coming from the
high plains of Texas we rarely saw a river
or lake, but Harold went out for freshman
crew. He struggled with learning French
(as did I) but in later years he learned
Latin, Greek and Hebrew. I often accused
him of being a glutton for punishment. I
know that Harold treasured his Yale years.
His special job at Saybrook College was
intramural sports. It always amazed me
that he lured all of our guys to
participate and taught them to have fun at
these games we played. He was a friend to
all the Yalies around him. So far as I
know, he had no enemies then or in the
years thereafter. He exuded a quiet
leadership that often went unrecongnized
and underappreciated.
I have never know a more loyal and
supportive person than Harold Daniel. He
actively supported in person the fight for
civil rights in the deep south; a short
time in a southern jail scared him but did
not deter his determination to bring
justice to an oppressed people. His work
as a Methodist minister led him to college
campuses in Wyoming and Montana. Then he
went to Florida for further study and
finally to Venezuela. Later he returned to
Amarillo, Texas and became a minister in
the church where was raised. His healing
words helped many families through the
chaos of funerals; I never have heard
anyone pray a better prayer than this man
prayed. And through it all was a driving
concern for the other person. He even
opened doors for me and insisted that I go
first in a waiting line. On Christmas day
2007 he and his wife Barbara had special
guests--a 100 year old woman and a
mentally challenged young man--because
they had no real place to go for this
special day. Harold was too sick to eat
but insisted that Barbara attend to these
guests. He died three days later.
I shall miss Harold Daniel terribly. He
was my closest friend for many years. The
world will also miss Harold. He was truly
a good and gentle man. He made the world
and people about him better.
Bill Mobley
