Charles was a lifelong Thomastonian and the only child of Jane Fields McDaniel Stallings and Charles Winton “Bushy” McDaniel. Bushy and Jane instilled a great love of the outdoors and an appreciation of hard work in their adventurous and entrepreneurial son.
Charles attended R. E. Lee Institute and furthered his education at The University of Georgia, graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing degree and a United States Army commission as a First Lieutenant. During his time at The University of Georgia, Charles became a bother in Sigma Chi Fraternity, walked on the Freshman Men’s golf team, participated in the ROTC program and met and married his wife of 58 years, Helen Drew Clark McDaniel.
Charles and Helen married September 8, 1963, in Waynesboro, Georgia. Upon Charles’ graduation from UGA in 1964, the couple served a year of active duty at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, and transitioned to a second year of active duty at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Charles remained in service to his country as a Georgia National Guardsman for an additional 6 years after completing his active-duty commitment. Charles and Helen returned to Thomaston from Texas and Charles took a job at Thomaston Mills in the sales department. After two years, Charles left Thomaston Mills to pursue a career as an insurance agent. Charles spent more than 50 years serving his community as an independent agent. Charles was a lifelong entrepreneur who started his first business, a yard service, at age 10. His passion for business continued throughout his life and he developed and sold multiple independent agencies across the State of Georgia. He shared his skills and knowledge by helping many young agents launch and advance their careers.
Charles was an involved civic leader having served on the Administrative Board and the Foundation Committee of the First United Methodist Church of Thomaston. Charles was a member of the Thomaston Upson County Art Council, The Upson County Historical Society, and a former member of the Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce. Currently, Charles was serving the Gordon State College Foundation as a board member.
Charles was an avid and accomplished golfer and outdoors man. He and Helen formerly held memberships at Thomaston Country Club, Idle Hour Golf Club in Macon, Georgia, Cullasaja Club in Highlands, North Carolina, The Sea Island Club in Sea Island, Georgia, and Reynold Plantation in Lake Oconee, Georgia. Charles enjoyed playing courses all over the world as he and Helen traveled and won countless tournaments over the years. He taught shooting and golf lesson to many young outdoorsmen.
True to his inquisitive and competitive nature, Charles had many hobbies. In addition to golf and hunting, he became a licensed private pilot, amateur historian, world traveler, and collector of guns, arrowheads, and antiques. He was fascinated by the stock market and was an active member of Pyramid Equities Stock Group. He was a faithful member of The Wild Bunch and enjoyed fellowship and hunting with his fellow members for 42 years. Currently, Charles was involved in the creation of the Thomaston-Upson County Fire Department Museum.
Charles loved his family tremendously and enjoyed his role both as Dad and as Grandy. He and Helen saw the world together and both enjoyed time spent with family and their many friends at their cabin on the Flint River and in their home.
Charles is survived by his wife, Helen Clark McDaniel, daughter and son in law, Jane McDaniel Evans and Luke Homer Evans, grandchildren: Meagan Reid Evans, Morgan Evans Lowe (Cameron), and David Alexander Evans (LuAnna), and great grandchild, Alexander Callaway Evans. He will be greatly missed by many.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 11, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. from the Thomaston First United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Glenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday, February 11, 2022 from 12:00 p.m.- 1:30 p.m. at Thomaston First United Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Charles’ memory to The Upson County Historical Society marked for the Thomaston-Upson County Fire Department Museum.
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