Willie McDaniel, 72, of Hulett, WY died on May 8, 2011 in an ATV accident.


Visitation will be from 10-11 AM on Thursday, May 12, 2011 at the Hulett Community Center. Funeral Service will begin at 11:00 AM with burial to follow at the Hulett Cemetery. A memorial has been established to the Black Hills Forest Service.


Willie McDaniel was born in Four Acre, KY on September 22, 1938. He was the first born child of Abe & Mary McDaniel. As the years passed, the size of his family grew to 9 children, all of whom came to love and respect their older brother. Willie would recall his memories of planting tobacco and making moonshine with pleasure and the struggles the family endured with great appreciation.

The years eventually moved Willie to Indiana where he would live for several years before moving to Wyoming. While living in Indiana, Willie took a hunting trip to the Big Horn Mountains to indulge in his passion for hunting. It was then that Willie found the place he called home.

Willie was a truck driver by trade and worked at Neiman Sawmill before retiring in 2007. It was very difficult for Willie to stop working since he believed that truck driving was in his blood and working was all he had done all his life. He was able to enjoy life without his truck and adjusted to his free time very well.

Willie remained childless during his first marriage which lasted 10 years. In 1985 Willie met Terry Stock who had 2 children (Mike and Kris) from a previous marriage. He became a wonderful father figure for them but always longed for a child to call his own.

When Willie and Terry met, she was in the process of trying to adopt a child. Willie, not having any of his own, suggested having a child together. And so it came to be that Shannon McDaniel was born in 1987. After realizing their love for each other, they wed in Sundance, WY on March 17, 1988. Shannon was the only guest in attendance.

Willie knew no strangers. His heart was kind and gentle, and his feelings were as many as the stars in the sky. He loved with all of his being and became a friend to many.

Willie loved his family~~cherished his kids and provided a safe, secure and non-judgmental environment that made them feel loved, wanted and needed. He will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Survivors include his wife Terry of Hulett, sons Michael (Angela) Stock of AZ and Kristopher (Jasmine) Stock of ND; daughter Shannon (Greg) Kolano of Rapid City; and 6 grandchildren Ashlyn, Rylan, Kylie, Prudence, Olivia, and James brothers Larry, D.B., Art, Bim and Tiny; sisters Sarah, Martha and Betty; numerous uncles, neices, nephews, and cousins He was preceded in death by his parents and 6 brothers and sisters.