Wednesday, February 25, 2009

John Daniels

John Daniels, a 1984 Powers graduate, died Wednesday. He was in his first year as the freshman basketball coach at Powers. He attended St. Mary's Mt. Morris and Donovan North before going to Powers, where he was All-State in baseball and All-Big Nine Conference in football and basketball.

A more extensive article on John in The Flint Journal is available here.

The visitation will be at the Miles-Martin Funeral Home in Mt. Morris. The schedule is as follows:

Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A rosary will be held at 6:00 p.m. on the same day.

The Mass will be on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary's Mt. Morris.

Here a some of the comments from readers about John:

steph said...

A very sad day again for the class of 84 he will be missed. So sorry for his family the loss i'm sure is great. It is so shocking time is short live each day as if it was your last.

God Bless,

Stephanie Hoffman
class of 84

Delete
bustdup said...

Too Young, too young. Condolences to His Loved Ones.Delete

Anonymous said...

As a fellow 1984 Powers High graduate, I can't agree with you more Stephanie. It proves that none of us, regardless of status, are immune to the final outcome of life, whatever time frame that may be.

May John's soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace, amen.

God bless us all.
Delete

Anonymous said...

John Daniels was a Powers legend. I remember watching his Powers team in the state basketball tourney in 84.
I feel terrible for his family.
Delete

redgirl said...

This is very, very sad and shocking news. My deepest condolences to the entire family and all of his many friends.

Maureen Stewart
Class of 83
Delete

Anonymous said...

Thanks for putting this on your blog. John was such an awesome person. He was the best when he was around kids. I just met John in the last year. He was dating my sister, and had met all of my family, and I was the last one he hadn't met. My sister called me to come over and have cocktails and meet John. That day I had my hair colored. So, not knowing John (although I had great reviews from my family of him) I decided to go over to with this hideous blond Hannah Montana like wig on. I came into the house and gave him a hug and introduced myself. The look on his face was priceless! I'm sure he thought who the hell is this person? (Ok, skank might come to mind). My sister walked around the corner and I asked her if I looked to blond and she was cracking up. Poor John, he was so sweet to "be really glad to meet me" and when I took of the wig, we were all laughing so hard. Over the next several months I got to enjoy so many laughs with John. I was at the funeral home tonight, and there were so many people there, and many did not want to leave. He will be buried with his beloved Power's basketball coach shirt on. He lived and died Powers. God bless him and all the love he shared with so many people. We are all looking up to heaven and knowing it just became even a better place. Love you John, and I will truly miss you. And if I ever really decide to dye my hair blonde, please tap on my shoulder and knock some sense into me.Delete

Anonymous said...

John was my hero growing up. He was like a big brother to many of us who were a few years younger. I remember the summer going into the ninth grade and he helped both me and Tim McCollum "bulk up" for freshman football. (I think he was dating Kelly McCollum at the time). He had the sweetest jump shot from the corner ever. What a loss. RIP John.

Rob Gilbreath
Class of 1987
Delete

geewhy said...

You always knew the name of the other team’s best player in the old Flint Catholic school leagues. So I knew John Daniels’ name long before I actually met him.

John’s death is a sad reminder that none of us have as much time as we think we do. For me, it has also triggered memories of playing sports in the seventies.

When I was in sixth grade at St. Mary’s Flint, we installed a special defense to deal with John when we played St. Mary’s Mt. Morris. Our coach, Kenny West, taught us the box-and-one. It’s basically a 2-2 zone with one player covering John man-to-man. It was the only time we ever used it. There were no other players in the league who warranted it.

The fact I remember this stuff says something about the role sports played in the Catholic school system. By the time most of us made it to Powers, we not only knew the kids at our grade school, but we knew a lot of the students at the other schools as well. High School is not an easy time, but it helped knowing so many kids in advance.

At Powers, I actually got to play freshman and J.V. basketball with John. More accurately, he played (very well) and I sat. But he didn’t fit the stereotype of the star athlete. He was a funny guy, and he didn’t carry himself like he was better than anyone because of his athletic skills. I’m sorry he’s gone, and I feel for his family and friends.

Now, like much of Flint, Powers seems to be struggling. Most of the Catholic grade schools have closed, and I fear that little world within a world that played out in St. Mary’s tiny gym or on football fields around the city has disappeared along with them.



11 comments:

  1. A very sad day again for the class of 84 he will be missed. So sorry for his family the loss i'm sure is great. It is so shocking time is short live each day as if it was your last.

    God Bless,

    Stephanie Hoffman
    class of 84

    ReplyDelete
  2. Too Young, too young. Condolences to His Loved Ones.

    ReplyDelete
  3. As a fellow 1984 Powers High graduate, I can't agree with you more Stephanie. It proves that none of us, regardless of status, are immune to the final outcome of life, whatever time frame that may be.

    May John's soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace, amen.

    God bless us all.

    ReplyDelete
  4. John Daniels was a Powers legend. I remember watching his Powers team in the state basketball tourney in 84.
    A feel terrible for his family.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is very, very sad and shocking news. My deepest condolences to the entire family and all of his many friends.

    Maureen Stewart
    Class of 83

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for putting this on your blog. John was such an awesome person. He was the best when he was around kids. I just met John in the last year. He was dating my sister, and had met all of my family, and I was the last one he hadn't met. My sister called me to come over and have cocktails and meet John. That day I had my hair colored. So, not knowing John (although I had great reviews from my family of him) I decided to go over to with this hideous blond Hannah Montana like wig on. I came into the house and gave him a hug and introduced myself. The look on his face was priceless! I'm sure he thought who the hell is this person? (Ok, skank might come to mind). My sister walked around the corner and I asked her if I looked to blond and she was cracking up. Poor John, he was so sweet to "be really glad to meet me" and when I took of the wig, we were all laughing so hard. Over the next several months I got to enjoy so many laughs with John. I was at the funeral home tonight, and there were so many people there, and many did not want to leave. He will be buried with his beloved Power's basketball coach shirt on. He lived and died Powers. God bless him and all the love he shared with so many people. We are all looking up to heaven and knowing it just became even a better place. Love you John, and I will truly miss you. And if I ever really decide to dye my hair blonde, please tap on my shoulder and knock some sense into me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. John was my hero growing up. He was like a big brother to many of us who were a few years younger. I remember the summer going into the ninth grade and he helped both me and Tim McCollum "bulk up" for freshman football. (I think he was dating Kelly McCollum at the time). He had the sweetest jump shot from the corner ever. What a loss. RIP John.

    Rob Gilbreath
    Class of 1987

    ReplyDelete
  8. You always knew the name of the other team’s best player in the old Flint Catholic school leagues. So I knew John Daniels’ name long before I actually met him.

    John’s death is a sad reminder that none of us have as much time as we think we do. For me, it has also triggered memories of playing sports in the seventies.

    When I was in sixth grade at St. Mary’s Flint, we installed a special defense to deal with John when we played St. Mary’s Mt. Morris. Our coach, Kenny West, taught us the box-and-one. It’s basically a 2-2 zone with one player covering John man-to-man. It was the only time we ever used it. There were no other players in the league who warranted it.

    The fact I remember this stuff says something about the role sports played in the Catholic school system. By the time most of us made it to Powers, we not only knew the kids at our grade school, but we knew a lot of the students at the other schools as well. High School is not an easy time, but it helped knowing so many kids in advance.

    At Powers, I actually got to play freshman and J.V. basketball with John. More accurately, he played (very well) and I sat. But he didn’t fit the stereotype of the star athlete. He was a funny guy, and he didn’t carry himself like he was better than anyone because of his athletic skills. I’m sorry he’s gone, and I feel for his family and friends.

    Now, like much of Flint, Powers seems to be struggling. Most of the Catholic grade schools have closed. And I fear that little world within a world that played out in St. Mary’s tiny gym or on football fields around the city, has disappeared along with it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Well said, Professor.

    Bravo!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. It really makes one wonder why God would take a soul like John away from us, while he lets a maniac like Osama Bin Ladin walk the earth....

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, I remember going to Powers games and watching him play. I remember him being a fantastic athlete and one of the nicest people. His dad was briefly a teacher of mine at HRHS. My prayers are with his family.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for commenting. I moderate comments, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. You might enjoy my book about Flint called "Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City," a Michigan Notable Book for 2014 and a finalist for the 33rd Annual Northern California Book Award for Creative NonFiction. Filmmaker Michael Moore described Teardown as "a brilliant chronicle of the Mad Maxization of a once-great American city." More information about Teardown is available at www.teardownbook.com.