Doris MacDaniel Obituary

Doris MacDaniel, age 90, passed away on July 28, 2025, in Bridgewater, VA. She was born on August 10, 1934, in Edinburg, Texas, the eighth of ten children. Doris was born prematurely enough that her doctor cautioned not to bother naming her because she was unlikely to survive more than a few days. At birth she was small enough to fit in a shoe box. She grew to be just shy of six feet tall. Doris graduated from Patti Welder High School in Victoria, Texas, and went on to earn a bachelor's degree from North Texas State University. She later received a master's degree from Ball State University and a Ph.D. from St. Louis University. She began her professional life in commercial radio, where she enjoyed an extended and successful career as both copy writer and editor and as a broadcaster before transitioning to education. Doris taught high school in Monticello and North Judson, Indiana, and later entered higher education administration, serving as the Director of Community/Public Relations at Joliet Junior College and then Bellville Community College in Illinois. After moving to Falls Church, Virginia, she returned to teaching at the high school level, where she continued to influence the lives of her students. Some of those former students ware in touch with her until her last days. It was in Falls Church that she met her second husband, H.G. MacDaniel. The two were married for sixteen years until his passing in 2005. Following her husband's death and her retirement, Doris moved to Texarkana, AR, to be near two of her long-time friends and subsequently to the Bridgewater Retirement Community in Bridgewater, Virginia. At Bridgewater, she became a beloved and active member of the community. She took the lead in expanding the community thrift store and became known for her generosity and culinary gifts. She made countless pounds of peanut brittle for her friends and neighbors and regularly baked cookies, which she shared with warmth and joy until her passing. Doris was predeceased by her daughter, Joyce Slocum, in 2024, five brothers, three sisters and several of her former students. She is survived by her two sons, J. Michael (Mike) Slocum and Gregory Slocum along with their wives, Patricia Diane Hayden and Nancy McNabb, respectively; her grandchildren, Benjamin, Chloe, Phoebe, and Zachary; and her great-grandchildren, Zara, Zula, Ezekiel, and Etta, along with her youngest brother, Max Moore. In accordance with her wishes, Doris arranged for the donation of her body to the Virginia Anatomical Gift Program. No immediate service is planned. A celebration of her life will be arranged for the fall. She will be remembered for her intelligence, sense of humor, compassion, generosity, and unwavering dedication to education and community.