James Junior Daniel, 77 of Columbus, MS passed away on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at his residence.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, December 22, 2009 from 6 to 8 PM at Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 2:30 PM in the Lowndes Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. David Westmoreland officiating. Interment will be in Kennedy City Cemetery, Kennedy, AL with full military honors and Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS directing.

Mr. Daniel was born August 7, 1932 in Arcadia, Morgan County, Illinois to the late Flossie Ina Caywood Daniel and James Franklin Daniel. He attended Arcadia and Virginia, IL schools and graduated from business college with a degree in accounting. Mr. Daniel joined the U. S. Air Force in March, 1952 and received his training in Biloxi, MS and San Antonio, TX and served in the Security Service, attached to the Naval Unit on Adiak in Aleutians Islands and then Osceola, WI as a radio intercept operator. He was discharged as Staff Sgt. in March, 1956. Mr. Daniel retired from Mobil Chemical, Jacksonville, IL and the family moved in 1978 to Columbus, MS where he was employed as bookkeeper and accountant with Mid-South Signs and Universal Industries. He then moved to Pensacola, FL where he was employed with Baraco Electric Construction before moving back to Columbus in 2003. Mr. Daniel was a professional musician playing on a daily radio show. He also played with the big bands and small combos covering a four state area for 20 years. He wrote music, short stories and poetry and was a member of the American Federated Musicians Union. His first love was definitely his family and music his second love. Mr. Daniel was very proud of his family and their accomplishments. He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Columbus, MS. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by two brothers, Paul Edward and Robert Ezekial Daniel and one nephew, Robert L. Daniel.

Mr. Daniel is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, Shirley Kay Heriford Daniel, Columbus, MS; three sons ? Dana Jay (Eileen) Daniel, Pensacola, FL; David Lyn (Candace) Daniel, Ethelsville, AL; Darin Lee Daniel, Columbus, MS; one daughter ? Davis Ann (Adrian) Sandahl, Post Falls, ID; two sisters, Mary (Jim) Foster, Guntersville, AL and Dorthy Daniel, Jacksonville, IL; three grandsons - Cody Daniel, Kaegan and Zane Sandahl, one granddaughter ? Alyssa Sandahl and three nephews.

Pallbearers will be Cody Daniel, Kaegan Sandahl, Steve Johnson, Tom Romans, Mark Pridmore, Scott Pridmore. Honorary Pallbearer will be Eddie Seay.

Memorials may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research, Church Street Station, PO Box 780, New York, NY 1008-0780 or Safe Haven, P O Box 5354, Columbus, MS 39704.