Karen Preston McDaniel
Karen Preston McDaniel, 60, of Butler, died Monday in her home surrounded by her loving family following a valiant four-year battle against breast cancer.
She was born April 23, 1957, in Decatur, Ala., the daughter of the late Abraham David Preston and Marjorie Joan Wilson Preston.
For more than three decades, Karen championed the cause for special needs children as a pediatric physical therapist for children's clinics and school districts in Montgomery, Ala., Clarksville, Tenn., and Western Pennsylvania.
She received her bachelor's degree in physical therapy from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1980, and then began her physical therapy practice at the nationally known Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., her home since 1965. There in the fall of 1981, she met Curt, the love of her life, and the two were married on July 2, 1983.
In addition to being a skilled and compassionate therapist, she was a loving wife, devoted mother and grandmother, and a creative homemaker, quilter and smocker who excelled in embroidery and sewing. Most significantly, she was a humble servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, co-laboring as a faithful pastor's wife alongside her husband to congregations in Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
She is survived by her devoted husband of 34 years, the Rev. Dr. H. Curtis McDaniel Jr. of Butler; a son, the Rev. H. Curtis (Margaret) McDaniel III of West Lafayette, Ind.; two daughters, Megan Elizabeth McDaniel and her fiancé, Jonas Elliot Broccard of Atlanta, Ga., Heather Preston McDaniel of Pittsburgh; two granddaughters, Anna Hope McDaniel and Katherine Grace McDaniel; one sister, two brothers, several beloved in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and a legion of faithful friends.
MCDANIEL — Visitation for Karen Preston McDaniel, who died Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Young Funeral Home, 127 W. Jefferson St., Butler. A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the South Venue at North Way Christian Community, 12121 Perry Highway, Wexford.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to the Reformed University Fellowship Chapter of Purdue University (www.ruf.org/purdue), Joni and Friends (www.joniandfriends.org) the orphan missions ministry at North Way Christian Community in Wexford, PA (www.northway.org), or to Samaritan's Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org).Condolences may be registered at www.youngfuneralhomes.com.
