A memorial service for Col. Howard Daniel Jr., 85, of Livingston, Texas will be held Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Chesswood Baptist Church in Livingston, Texas.

Howard Daniel Jr., a native of Polk County, was born January 16. 1937 in Swartout, a small settlement just outside of Livingston, Texas. Howard attended grade school in Swartout and attended high school in the Livingston Independent School District (Dunbar Campus) from which he graduated as Salutatorian in 1955. Howard's parents, Howard Daniel Sr., and Augusta H. Daniel were strong proponents of education; in fact, his mother was an educator. They encouraged Howard to continue his studies beyond High School and he entered Prairie View A&M University. Howard majored in Agriculture and while attending Prairie View, he entered the ROTC program – Howard finished Prairie View as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Howard said, on many occasions, that his parents taught him to love and never hate, and to work hard at whatever you do. The ROTC helped prepare him for the next stage in his life – a career as a soldier.

Howard served two tours in Vietnam and spent considerable time in Germany. After reaching the rank of Full Colonel, he left the military and returned to Livingston in 1988. Howard said that he returned specifically to give back to a community that had given so much to him. Howard had a daughter with developmental difficulties, and upon learning this, the County Judge asked Howard to serve on the Board of the Burke Center. Burke's mission is to provide the highest-quality and most compassionate and comprehensive mental health and developmental disability services to individuals in East Texas. Howard made a great impact on this Board. In 2011 he was appointed Board Chairman – a position he held at his passing. During this period, Howard also distinguished himself as a motivational speaker. After speaking at various schools and for various civic organizations all over the nation, Howard was called into the Ministry.

He began a Pastorship in 2005 at Chesswood Baptist – Where Everybody is Somebody . Here Howard established a weekly Mail Out Ministry which grew to over 500 recipients while teaching Sunday School and two sermons every Sunday; in addition, he taught Bible Study each Wednesday Night. Howard leaves to mourn his passing - a wife, Mrs. Clara Pickens Wiley Daniel, and five children.