Jerry Daniels, age 78 of Ezel, Kentucky went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, September 8th, 2026, at West Liberty ARH, West Liberty, Kentucky. He was born on June 11, 1948, in Rockhouse, Kentucky to Oscar Daniels and Molly Daniels.
Survived by his wife, Melissia Daniels, two sons, Jerry Dean Daniels (Hope), of Versailles, KY, Thomas Davis, of Ezel, KY, two daughters, Sharlena Gill (Justin), of Cincinnati, OH, Beth Davis, of Ezel, KY, eight grandchildren, Haley Daniels, Kelli Daniels, Samantha Daniels, Alayna Brown, Natalie Daniels, Gavin Maney, Emory Gill, and Evie Gill, four sisters, Vonda Lou Howard, Juanita Howard, Avonelle Daniels, all of Salyersville, KY, and Emma Howard of Mt. Sterling, KY, and three great-grandchildren.
Jerry is preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Mollie Daniels, three brothers, Dexter Daniels, Eugene Daniels, Lariel Daniels, and one sister, Anna Miller.
Jerry was a jack of all trades. He did concrete work for foundations for homes in Ohio, he built overpass bridges in Dayton, and he was a heavy equipment operator for Martin County Coal for 27 years; retiring only to continue using his equipment operating expertise on his home farm in Ezel, KY where he always showed his carpentry skills building barns and sheds, not only for himself but helping his neighbors with anything they needed.
The most important work he did was to serve his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ by being a servant to others.
Jerry loved the outdoors. He loved to fish and hunt. Those weren’t just hobbies to him-they were opportunities to get outside, slow down, enjoy God’s creation, and spend time with people he loved. Some of the best memories are often made sitting in a boat waiting for a fish to bite, sitting around telling stories, or being out in the woods together. Those simple moments meant something to him. The best parts of life are often the simplest ones.
He loved family get-togethers. He loved having everyone together around the table, eating a good dinner, sitting outside at a cookout, playing Yahtzee and Rook, telling stories, laughing, and just enjoying being together.
Jerry loved his wife, Melissia, of 22 years deeply. The love they shared was an important part of his life. He loved her, he cared for her, and he loved the life they built together. Their relationship was part of the story of who Jerry was, and we are so thankful he had someone beside him to share life’s beautiful moments and its hardest ones.
Jerry loved his family. He loved being surrounded by the people he cared about, and one of the greatest joys of his life was being a dad and a Papaw.
His family will remember his presence. They’ll remember his stories, his laugh, the time they spent with him, and most importantly, the feeling of being loved by their dad and Papaw.
Jerry had a good heart. He cared about people. He made people feel important, welcomed, and loved. He didn’t have to know you for long to care about you. He had a way of making people feel like they mattered, because to him, they did. His life was made richer because of the relationships he built, and we know so many people’s lives were made richer because they knew him.
Jerry’s time here was not nearly long enough, but the love he gave will continue through every person whose life he touched.
We believe Jerry is with Jesus now – healed, whole, and free. We can picture him there, probably sitting around a table, enjoying a good meal, telling stories, laughing, and making friends with everyone around him. And maybe, there are some horses waiting for him, too. But most of all, we imagine him finally seeing Jesus face-to face.
Thank you for showing us what it means to love people well. “Well done, good and faithful servant. Well done.”
Funeral services were conducted Sunday, September 13, 2026 from the Magoffin County Funeral Chapel with Harry Flannery, Manford Wright, and William Jenkins officiating. Burial followed in the Lummie Lemaster Cemetery at Mine Fork, Kentucky.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Magoffin County Funeral Home.
www.magoffincountyfuneralhome.com
