Richard Albert "Dick" Daniels

Richard Albert “Dick” Daniels, 82, passed away on Friday, July 3, 2015 in Ocean Springs, MS. Dick was born in Augusta, Maine and spent most of his life as a resident of South Portland, Maine and Ocean Springs. He was a graduate of South Portland High School, where he excelled in track and football, earning All-American honors. After graduating from South Portland, Dick accepted a football scholarship to Wake Forest University in North Carolina and earned a degree in Business Administration. After graduation, Dick landed a job at Portland Copper and continued his love affair with football as a player for the semi-pro Portland Seahawks. Dick began his career with Ingalls Shipbuilding as an East Coast Representative for the company, until he and his family moved south to Ocean Springs in 1968, when he became Cost Price Analysis Manager at the Pascagoula shipyard, a position he held until his retirement in 1998. In 2004, Dick was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame and was working at Bienville Orthopaedics at the time of his death. Dick will be remembered as an avid golfer, outdoorsman, woodworker, a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church and a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan. More importantly, he leaves a legacy as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary Daniels Henderson and Albert Daniels; a brother, Edward Henderson; and “Daddy’s little girl,” his daughter, Lisa Jean Daniels. Dick is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sheila Daniels of Ocean Springs; a daughter, Nya (Aubrey) Fine of La Verne, CA; a son, Richard (Leslie) Daniels of Ocean Springs; a brother, Ronnie (Leah) Henderson of Scarborough, ME; a sister, Virginia (Don) Cushing of Gorham, ME; and a sister-in-law, Donna Henderson of Topeka, KS. He had five grandchildren who lovingly referred to Dick as “Grampi” or “BaBa”; Sean (Nelli) Fine of Providence, RI, Corey Fine of Denver, CO and Sarah Parker and Georgia Kate Daniels of Ocean Springs. Visitation will be Friday, July 10, 2015 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Ocean Springs with a Funeral Mass to follow at 11 a.m. Interment will be in Bellande Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be made in Dick’s honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.