Mary Lorraine Daniel

With deep sorrow we announce the passing of Mary Daniel, a longtime resident of Rio Rancho.  She passed away on Monday, July 13, 2020 after an apparent heart attack.  She was 87.

The daughter of Marion and Mary Mead, she was born on her family’s farm in Oceana County, Michigan, on March 23, 1933.  Her older brother couldn’t pronounce her given name – Mary Lorraine – so instead he called her Mary Lane, which her family called her from then on.  Later generations called her G.G.  To friends, she was simply Mary.

When Mary was a child, her family moved from Michigan to Chama, New Mexico, on the advice of a doctor aiming to cure her father’s asthma.  There, the family established Mead Lumber Company.  Mary attended junior high school in Chama where she played basketball.  The Meads soon returned to Michigan where Mary later met and married her first husband.  The young couple moved to Chama to join in her family’s lumber business.  Mary became a mother in 1952 when daughter, Shareen, was born.  After the couple divorced, Mary moved to Albuquerque with her young daughter.  Mary attended Brown’s Business College to learn accounting, and with a little help from her father, bought a home for herself and Shareen, an uncommon act of independence for a young woman in the 1950s.

Mary met her future husband thanks to a traffic violation.  Albuquerque police officer, Don Daniel, pulled her over and wrote her a ticket, then asked for her phone number.  The couple married in Albuquerque on October 23, 1959.  Shareen became the big sister to the Daniel boys, Don Jr., Bill, and Ken.  Daughter, Donna, rounded out the family of seven.

Mary earned her GED while raising her family, then went to work as a bookkeeper.  In 1976, Don and Mary moved to the St. Louis suburb of Creve Coeur, Missouri, after Don was hired as the town’s chief of police.  Mary worked in accounting for the National Soybean Association, located in St. Louis.  After 17 years in Missouri, the couple retired and returned to New Mexico, planting roots in Rio Rancho in 1993.

Mary enjoyed being outside, going fishing, reading fiction, and tending to her houseplants.  She was quick to say yes when anyone asked her to go on an adventure, whether big or small.  She will be remembered for the generous way in which she spent her time with her family, including babysitting her great-grandchildren, and for always having pocket money to share with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She will be remembered for her twinkly eyes, her sense of humor, and her smile – evident even in the mere moments before she died.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Nora Jean Mead; brother, Hugh Mead; granddaughter, Brandie Duncan; and granddaughter-in-law, Corrina Duncan.

Mary is survived by her husband, Don Daniel, of Rio Rancho; brother, Gary Mead of Springerville, Arizona; daughters, Shareen (J.D.) Bird-Shelton of Edgewood, New Mexico, and Donna (Tim) Vanlandingham of Albuquerque; sons, Don (Verna) Daniel, Jr. of Chicago, Bill (Katrina) Daniel of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Ken Daniel of Rock Springs, Wyoming; grandchildren, Shawn (Jessica) Daniel, Don Daniel III, Michelle (Anthony) Antognoli, Robert Duncan, Corey (Monique) Vanlandingham, and Logan (Gina) Vanlandingham; great-grandchildren Sarah Hering, Soleil Antognoli, Marley Antognoli, Morgan Duncan, Madison Duncan, Mason Duncan, Breanna Duncan, Joshua Clark, Cooper Vanlandingham, Ethan Vanlandingham, Addie Vanlandingham, and Anson Vanlandingham; and great-great-granchildren, Taylor Croushore and Ellenore Foshee.

Private Services for the family will be held on Friday, July 24, 2020, with Visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m., and Services at 11:00 a.m., at FRENCH – Wyoming. Interment with follow at Sunset Memorial Park.

Because of current public health restrictions, Mary’s friends are invited to attend the services via webcast by clicking on the following link: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/33311

Mary lived the last decade of her life with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  She spent her final year at Retreat Gardens, a Rio Rancho facility specializing in memory care.  The family thanks all the Retreat Gardens staff, with special gratitude to Natalie Hansen, for all the kindness and support she showed Mary and her family.

Mary was loved by many and will truly be missed.

People wanting to send flowers may send them to FRENCH – Wyoming.  Those wanting to donate are encouraged to make a donation in Mary’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association at P.O. Box 21400, Albuquerque, NM  87154.