Esra McDaniel, 85 of Orange Park, FL passed away Monday, August 30, 2021 at Orange Park Medical Center in Orange Park, FL.  Esra was born in Soperton, GA to the late John Henry and Mattie Bell Gillis McDaniel.  He had been a resident of Orange Park since 1972 coming from Brunswick, Maine.  Esra retired from the US Navy after a career of 20 years in 1976 and continued to work in civil service for another 20 years retiring from the Naval Air Rework Facility at NAS JAX.

The church meant the world to Esra and because of his love for God, he served in many capacities at First Baptist Church of Orange Park to include, serving as a deacon, finance committee, counting committee and pastor search committees.  He had a benevolent heart and would help anyone in need to include delivering meals on Wednesdays to shut-ins and was a current member of Crosspoint Baptist Church.  Playing golf in the past and making peanut brittle for others were things that brought pleasure to Esra.

He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Esra was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Donnie Chance McDaniel

He leaves behind, his sons, Rusty (Robbin) McDaniel and Greg (Saana) McDaniel.  He was "Papa" to his grandchildren, Erica (Ryan) Stephens, Erica (Paul) Shuster, Max McDaniel, Victoria McDaniel, Alex McDaniel, and Iris McDaniel, great grandchildren Autumn, Alexis, Maddy, Carter, and Cooper

Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 pm on Friday, September 10, 2021 from the graveside in Thigpen Cemetery, Rockledge, GA.

Please share a memory, leave a condolence message and sign the online guest register.

SAMMONS FUNERAL HOME, The Standard Since 1917, Soperton, Georgia