Kelly Neal McDaniel, age 41, born May 8, 1980, in Layton, Utah, to Ted Ellis and Nea Jean (Tanner) McDaniel, returned home to the loving arms of his Father in Heaven on Oct. 19, 2021, in Rock Springs, Wyo.
As a little towhead, Kelly grew up in Clearfield, Utah, where if you needed to find him, you just needed to look for his bike; first his little blue trike, then his BMX. As a teen he was on a riding team that put on shows doing tricks with bikes on ramps, getting 8 feet of air on the vertical ramps and 23 feet of air on the launch ramps.
Kelly was active in the Boy Scouts of America, earning the rank of Eagle Scout. He worked on staff at scout camps, Camp Kiesel and Camp Bartlett, where he learned to work hard, to be dependable and to live the scout law, which he endeavored to do all his life.
Kelly graduated from Clearfield High School. He struggled with the academics but loved all classes that allowed him to work with his hands. The mechanic and shop classes were his favorited and he excelled in them. His mother’s home and his own still have several pieces of beautiful furniture that he made during his time in high school.
Kelly was an active member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he held the office of an elder. Over the years he has held many different callings, and he has enjoyed working with the youth of the church. He loves his savior and has a close relationship and strong testimony of him and of the gospel.
Kelly moved to Pinedale, Wyo., to work for Adams Concrete, where, in the words of his boss, his title was, “Superman, manager/foreman, operator, and all-around badass.” He will truly be missed and very hard to replace.
Kelly enjoyed the outdoors, rock hunting, camping, hiking, boating, Dutch-oven cooking, grilling and riding around on his 4x4. This all must be done with his family and friends to be most enjoyable. He also enjoyed making knives that he liked to give to people.
He met the love of his life, Stephanie Shanara (McCumber), while she was taking care of his father in the hospital. They were married May 21, 2016, on Antelope Island, on the Great Salt Lake, Utah.
He will be missed by his wife, Stephanie Shanara (McCumber) McDaniel; daughters Davan (Austin) Dredge, Keela McDaniel, Samantha McDaniel, Amillia Rogers; brothers Ryan (Brianna) McDaniel, Scott (Heather) McDaniel; half- brother Derick (Robert) McDaniel; brother-in-law Daelan McCumber; many nieces and nephews; and many he considers his brothers and sisters.
He was preceded in death by his brother Greg Olaf McDaniel, father Ted Ellis McDaniel and his grandparents.
Funeral Services were for the family on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, at 1 p.m. at the Pinedale Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 221 North St., Pinedale, Wyo. He was interred at the Pinedale Cemetery.
There was a public viewing on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, 6 to 8 p.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pinedale, and a family viewing Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Streaming of the funeral was available for all who wanted to join at https://zoom.us/j/95885844332.
