George Edward Daniel

June 10, 1926 – March 24, 2015

George Edward Daniel, 88, of Bainbridge, passed away Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at Archbold Memorial Hospital.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at First Baptist Church with Rev. Paul Medley officiating. Interment will follow at Oak City Cemetery with his Deacons of First Baptist Church serving as active pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the Penney-Lambert Sunday School Class and members who served on the Bainbridge City Council from 1973 until 2002.

The family will receive friends at the church from 1 to 1:45 p.m., prior to the funeral service. Online visitors may sign the guest register at

www.iveyfuneral.com.

Mr. Daniel was born June 10, 1926 in Montgomery, Ala., the son of George Edward Daniel, Sr. and Clara Smith Daniel. Following his father’s death on July 17, 1939, he, his mother and his brother moved to Macon, Ga., where his mother’s family lived.

George was an honor graduate of Lanier High School for Boys in Macon. He was active as a student, being a member of Kappa Tau Alpha Fraternity, the Varsity Debating Team, and was a founding member of the Beta Club.

He was drafted into the United States Army on August 10, 1944 and saw combat in the Philippine Islands. He was a First Scout and was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. While on duty in Tokyo after the war, Mr. Daniel served as an interviewer, screening people who came to visit Tokyo Rose and Premier Tojo, who had served as Prime Minister for Japan during World War II. Following 25 months of service, George returned home. He was discharged and enrolled two weeks later as a freshman at the University of Georgia.

While at UGA, he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, the Professional Business Fraternity, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma, and the Honorary Business Fraternity. He holds Speaker’s Keys from the University, was a member of the Varsity Debating Team and a member of the Men’s Glee Club every year he was a student. George graduated Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a major in Accounting on June 11, 1949.

Immediately thereafter, Mr. Daniel became an Internal Revenue Agent, serving in Valdosta, GA and Albany, GA. After serving two years as an Internal Revenue Agent, he was recalled into the Air Force during the Korean War where he served as an officer for 21 months. During that time, he rose in rank from second lieutenant to captain.

Following his service, he returned to civilian life once again as an Internal Revenue Agent based in Albany. It was during this time, while married to Virginia Massey, that his two sons, George Jr. and Michael were born. He resigned his position on December 1, 1956 and moved to Bainbridge, to form a partnership with Wesley Catledge and practiced under the name Catledge & Daniel, Certified Public Accountants. On August 8, 1961, Mr. Daniel established his own office of George E. Daniel, Certified Public Accountant, and continued under that name until he retired, at which time he sold his practice and office building to Bruce Mann on August 16, 1996.

From the time of his arrival in Bainbridge, George was active in the civic and religious affairs of the city. He was an active member of First Baptist Church. He was active in Sunday School, having served as Superintendent of the Young People’s Department for several years before he was Superintendent of the Adult 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. He later became the Adult Division Leader. George served for several years as assistant general superintendent of the Training Union and was a member of the choir for approximately 35 years. When he was younger, he was the bass soloist and led the singing for the church service and directed the choir when the minister of music was not in church. He served as a member and chairman of the Finance Committee, Personnel Committee, Board of Trustees, was an ordained deacon, and was elected to serve three times as chairman of the Deacons of First Baptist Church.

In 1973, George was elected to the first of seven, four-year terms (twenty eight years) on the City Council of Bainbridge. While on the council, he served as acting mayor for twelve years and mayor pro tem for several terms. For a number of years, he was chairman of the Budget Committee.

Mr. Daniel and his wife Carolyn wrote the ordinance for the Tree Committee. He pushed for Bainbridge to be “Tree City USA,” set up the functions of the Tree Committee and established the selection process and qualifications for a “landmark” tree. George also served as Tree Committee chairman for a number of years. He was also active in the Georgia Municipal Association and served a long time as a member of the State Revenue and Finance Committee.

He served as president of the Bainbridge Lions Club from 1959 to1960 with a membership of 105 at that time. He was voted “Lion of the Year” in 1961. He also served that club as secretary and was awarded the “Most Outstanding Secretary” of the district several times. He served as Zone Chairman before being elected District Governor for 1966 – 1967.

George was active for some time in the Decatur County Historical Society, serving as president for two years. Because of the executive secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, several businessmen formed “The Committee of 100 for Industry”, and he served on the Board of Directors as chairman. They were successful in bringing in several new industries as well as providing office space to get much needed new doctors in town because of the money raised. Mr. Daniel served a number of years as director of the Chamber of Commerce as well as serving as treasurer for five years. He was also a director of the Jaycees and was chairman of the Decatur County Boy Scout Fund Raising Drive.

He has been on the Board of Trustees for Bainbridge College since it was formed and served as a member of the Executive Committee. He also served as chairman of the Bainbridge College Foundation for two years. There have been two couples that have both served as chairpersons of the Foundation, and George and Carolyn Daniel were one of them.

In his professional life, he was a member of the Board of Trustees for two terms for the Georgia Society of CPA’s and has served as treasurer, secretary, and president of the Southwest Georgia Chapter of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Mr. Daniel was on the founding Board of Directors of the Bainbridge Arts Council, and served a number of years as its treasurer. During the time of raising almost one million dollars to renovate the Firehouse Center as headquarters of the Arts Council, he and his wife served as co-treasurers and were successful in locating a bank account that brought in considerable money over what would have been earned.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Clay Daniel; a daughter, Sharon Gail Daniel; and a brother, Charles Daniel.

Survivors include his two sons, George E. Daniel, Jr. and his wife, Anna, of Bainbridge,  and Dr. Michael P. Daniel and his wife, Joan, of Bluffton, SC; his grandchildren, Jason and his wife, Megan, Jessica and her husband, Shawn, Nicole and her husband, Matt, Garrett, and Stephanie; and his great-grandchildren, Kinsley, Landon, Anna Grace, and Ryan.

Ivey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.