Barbara Daniel, 89
Barbara (better know as Thelma) Daniel, 89, passed away from this earth to be with her Lord on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at the Boundary Community Nursing home.
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, at 11 a.m. at Chic-n-Chop in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
She spent her growing up years in and around Ballarat enjoying, outdoor activities especially swimming, camping, riding bicycle, and playing softball. She also enjoyed the young people activities at her church and singing in the Church choir.
After she finished school, she worked at a textile mill where she was eventually promoted to head cutter.
It was in June of 1942 that she met the love of her life, David Daniel. He was from the USA and was serving in the army during WW II when the harbor of Darwin, Australia, was bombed.
He was on rest leave in Ballarat recovering from injuries suffered in that bombing when they met at a dance put on by the ladies auxiliary of the hospital. He asked her to dance and a romance blossomed.
They were married on Dec. 5, 1942, and celebrated 63 anniversaries together.
Because of the war they were not able to see each other very often; in fact they were separated for more than three years until the war was over and she was able to come to the states by a special "war brides" ocean liner arriving here on Mar. 7, 1946.
She was in for a huge adjustment from being a city girl in Australia to becoming a country girl living in a small cabin on a stump ranch in North Idaho. Of course there was the language and culture differences to overcome also. It was to be 12 years before she was able to return to Australia to visit her family.
She was a hard working helpmate in every capacity: clearing the land for a farm, running a dairy herd for 14 years, cattle ranching for some years and then crop farming as more land was purchased and cleared. She did all that plus raise a family of four children: Wendy, Marilyn, Tom and Dianne.
Along with all the other work she also helped David as they cut logs from the property and constructed a larger home for the family.
She was a wonderful encourager to her children, nieces and nephews and anyone she was around. She just loved children. As there were always many chores to do with the farm and garden she had a slogan for the children that she quoted often, printed, framed, and hung it in several locations. "We must do the things we must before the things we may. We are unfit for any trust until we can and do obey."
A swimming pool was hand dug and constructed and put into use about the time the grandchildren came along. She enjoyed swimming; but she especially enjoyed teaching most of the grandchildren; and also children from the community to swim.
She loved her flower beds and had a "green thumb" when it came to growing things.
Her philosophy was always "whatever will be will be" and she was well known for using that quote and singing the song that has that phrase in it.
Her love of music was evident as she was often at least humming if not singing as she went about her activities.
After she had been in the states 12 years, the entire family of six made the trip by ocean liner while it was winter in the states to Australia where it was summer. The children took their school studies with them; the trip was an education in itself and an opportunity for the children to meet relatives they had never met and to do some traveling in Australia as well.
She spent many years doing genealogy for both David's family and her own, hand typing and compiling five thick history books. She also helped with the Boundary County history book.
After retiring she and David traveled around the U.S., spending a number of winters in Arizona and also making two more trips to Australia together.
She made special effort to have a wonderful relationship with each one of her grandchildren, and they all love her dearly.
She was artistic in many ways. She painted with oils, and worked with pastels in creating scenery, still life and portraits. She was an accomplished seamstress and hand knitter and also did beautiful embroidery work. She was a perfectionist, so everything she did was beautiful.
She was a long time member of the St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Bonners Ferry. She was a part of, and enjoyed, the women's guild activities.
She had spent the past four years living at the Boundary Community Nursing Home. She was wonderfully taken care of there and was loved for her beautiful smile.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her three brothers in Australia, one brother-in-law in Australia and two sister-in-laws in Australia; one infant grandson, one son-in-law, four brother-in-laws and three sister-in-laws and two nephews in the states.
She is survived by her sister, Violet, cousins by the dozen, many nephews and nieces, and sister-in-laws in Australia; two sister-in-law Larena Daniel, and Faye Daniel of the states.
Her children Wendy (Don) Kramer, Marilyn (Dale) Lofthus, Tom (Sandy) Daniel and Dianne (Steve) Oxford. Her grandchildren Rory and Damon Kramer, Lori (Pruitt) Sabin, Mike and Dan Pruitt, Wade, Shelby and David Daniel; Amy Oxford, Keri (Oxford) Abbey, Pat Oxford, many, many great grandies, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are invited to sign Thelma’s book at www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home