Emogene B. McDaniel went home to be with her Lord and Savior on November 19, 2012, at the home of her daughter and son-in-law in Blue Springs, MO. She was a former resident of Springfield for over forty-five years. Emogene was born the first of five children on June 16, 1919, in Gainesville, MO, to Marion and Maude (Looney) Day.
As a young child, her family moved to the Springfield area, living in Republic and Fairgrove, where Emogene graduated from high school. With a $5.00 bill and two dresses, she attended Southwest Missouri State Teachers’ College and completed her teacher training there. She began teaching at Kinser School in Rogersville, where she met her soon-to-be husband, Raymond O. McDaniel, while he was on a ladder painting the school building. They were married on November 21, 1941, at the home of the Rev. E.E. Griever in Harrison, AR. One daughter and two sons were born to their union.
When her husband, Raymond, was drafted into the Army during W.W. II, Emogene worked at Associated Grocers in Springfield. During their 46 years of marriage, Emogene also worked at the Union National Bank and at General Warehouse in Springfield. Her husband, Raymond, was employed at and later co-owned Hutco Equipment Co. in Springfield. Following his death in 1987, Emogene moved to Blue Springs, MO, to live near her daughter, Linda, in 1992. After a serious fall, she moved in with Linda and her husband, David, in November of 2008.Emogene was known for her generosity and for the loving and compassionate care she gave to both her family and her friends. Emogene loved growing flowers and tending to her vegetable garden and strawberry patch. She was still picking apples in the orchards, well into her eighties and walking with a cane.
Emogene loved the Lord and served in various positions in women’s ministry and Sunday School at Immanuel Baptist Church, where she and Raymond had been members since the 1950’s, until she moved to Blue Springs where she joined and actively attended Castleview Baptist Church. Upon its demise, she joined and faithfully sent her tithing check to Homeland Baptist Church in Springfield, until she found a new church home at Country Meadows Baptist Church in Independence, MO.
Preceding her in death include her husband, Raymond, her son, Bruce Lynn, her parents, and her brother, Benton Day.
She is survived by her daughter, Linda Baker, and her husband, David, Blue Springs; her son, Byron McDaniel, and his wife, Layne, Lenexa, KS; her grandchildren, Beau McDaniel, Springfield; Jennifer (Baker) Valente and her husband, Justin, Kirkland, WA; Jonathan Baker, Kansas City; Patrick McDaniel, Eugene, OR; Kristyn McDaniel, Dallas, TX; one great-grandchild, Owen David Valente; three brothers and their wives, Bearl and Mary Day, Republic, Leo and Venita Day, Nixa, and Kenneth and Marie Day, Springfield; former daughter in law, Klista McDaniel Smith, Springfield; as well as five cousins and numerous nieces and nephews.Visitation will be held at Greenlawn Funeral Home North from 3 to 5 p.m. on November 25th, with services scheduled at 1 p.m. on November 26th. Burial will be at Greenlawn North following the services.