Howard T. Daniels, 71, of Albany died at his home on Sept. 16, 2010.
He was born Sept. 7, 1939 in Revillo, S.D., the son of Fred and Susie (Crowell) Daniels. He moved to Sweet Home as an infant, attending local schools and graduating from Sweet Home High School with the Class of 1957.
Mr. Daniels owned his own log truck and also drove for several companies in the Sweet Home area. He owned T and T Sportswear in Sweet Home in the early 1980s, then managed Hosking Supply in Lebanon until going to work as a stainless steel estimator for Holland Steel.
He then returned to his passion, driving log trucks, until his retirement. He lived in Albany for the past 10 years.
Mr. Daniels was very active in the Sweet Home community, serving as a volunteer firefighter at Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District for 23 years; serving as president of Sweet Home Babe Ruth and coaching his sons’ baseball teams; and as a member and president of the Sweet Home Booster Club.
He was a classic car enthusiast who particularly appreciated 1955 Chevys, was an Oregon State University Beavers fan, and enjoyed playing golf, watching March Madness basketball tournaments and cutting firewood. He also enjoyed keeping his yard and his log truck immaculate.
Mr. Daniels won the World Champion Log Truck Driver for his outstanding abilities behind the wheel of a log truck. He loved his family dearly and was very proud of them as well as his family being proud of him for what and who he was.
He married Jan Tabler in Sweet Home on June 5, 1960.
Mr. Daniels is survived by his wife of 50 years, Jan of Albany; daughter,Traci and son-in-law Jeff Gagner of Sweet Home; sons, Todd and daughter-in-law Lisa K. Daniels of Albany and Tom and daughter-in-law Lisa A. Daniels of Portland; mother Susie Daniels of Sweet Home; brother, Marvin Daniels of Nampa, Idaho; sisters Betty Bagley, Norene Nelson and Sally Wolfer, all of Sweet Home, Judy McAdams of McMinnville and Janet Hillyard of Nampa, Idaho; and five grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, Fred; a brother, Clifford; a sister, Lu Emry; and granddaughter Amy Maisto.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday Sept. 25, at the Sweet Home Mennonite Church, 1266 44th Ave.
Private interment will be at Gilliland Cemetery.
The family requests that memorial contributions be sent to the Linn-Benton Community College Foundation Howard Daniels Memorial Fund, c/o Huston-Jost Funeral Home 86 W. Grant St. Lebanon, OR 97355.