Rev. Bill T. McDaniel

The Reverend Billy Tom (Bill) McDaniel of Woodbridge, VA passed away from a heart attack on April 24, 2017. He had been in poor health since a stroke at the end of 2016.

Bill was born on June 5th, 1933 in Itasca, Texas, to Charles Bunyon and Ruth Eleanor McDaniel. He was the youngest of five children. He attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas, and graduated from the University of Houston. He then went on to earn his Masters of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and actively served as a Presbyterian minister for 46 years.

Bill was especially proud of his work as an interim pastor. He was among the first group of Presbyterian ministers trained as Interim Ministers to help guide churches through the transition time after a pastor left the church and while they searched for a new permanent pastor. He served as Interim Minister for 7 churches over the last twelve years of his ministry in Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, and Maryland.

Outside the bounds of the church, Bill spent many years working at halfway houses and in private practice as a drug abuse and alcoholism counselor. After he retired from the ministry, he blended both vocations, volunteering for several years in prison ministry. He loved working with “his guys.”

Music was a very important part of Bill’s life. He was very proud of the fact that he sang in church choirs for over 70 years – he was a member of the choir in every church he pastored. He also loved singing barbershop music, and was a member of the Houston Tidelanders Chorus for about 10 years and a member of the Bull Run Troubadours Chorus since 2005. He found it fascinating and wonderful that – as his memory declined and his functioning became more impaired – he was still able to remember his music and could contribute to his chorus. He attended rehearsals and performances faithfully till near the end of 2016.

Bill is survived by his wife of 37 years, Melinda Holley McDaniel; his brother, the Rev. Faries McDaniel and wife Ann; his daughters, Lois Williams and husband Tim, Beverly Juranek and husband Daniel, and Holleyanne McDaniel; four grandchildren, Lauren Graham and husband Paul, Ross Juranek and wife Deni, Cara Williams, and Leslie Juranek and fiancé Jeff Silva; and 5 great-grandchildren, Rhett Juranek, Luke Juranek, Kynlee Silva, Henry Graham, and Oliver Graham.

There will be a memorial service at 3 pm Sunday, April 30th, at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 12700 Black Forest Ln, Woodbridge, VA. At a later date there will be a memorial service and burial in Texas. In lieu of gifts, the family suggests donations to Covenant Presbyterian Church (https://liveourfaith.org/giving/), the Bull Run Troubadours Chorus (mail to: 12111 Tall Trees Ln., Manassas, VA 20112), or a charity of your choice.