Donald Raymond Daniels

Donald Ray Daniels, age 89, a Phillips Petroleum Company retiree and U.S. Air Force veteran, passed away on February 1, 2026, with his family by his side in Bartlesville, OK.

Donald Ray Daniels, aka Donald Ray Daniel, was born on June 8, 1936, in Webb City, Missouri, to Raymond A. Daniel and Lola L. Daniel. Don grew up in Webb City and attended elementary and high school in Webb City. Don was an outstanding student in high school. He was elected class president in his junior year and was selected as a delegate to Missouri Boys State in his junior year. In his senior year, he served as president of the National Honor Society and was votes as Best Boy Citizen in his class. He also served as business manager for the high school yearbook and was a member of the student council.

After graduating from high school, Don enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force recruiter required a certified copy of Don’s birth certificate. When it was received, it erroneously showed his last name as “Daniels”, with an “s”. The Air Force recruiter stated that he was required to use the name on the birth certificate. As a result, his Air Force records and subsequent official documents all showed his name as “Daniels”. After completing basic training, Don was selected to attend a six-month Russian language course at the Army Language School in Monterey, California. After completing the course, he was certified as a Russian language radio intercept operator and received a security clearance to serve in the U.S. Air Force Security Service. He was transferred to Germany where he was stationed for three years in Bingen and Hof, Germany. While stationed in Germany, he met his future wife, Ursula Friedrich and they were married in Hof, German.

After completing his tour of duty in 1958, he received an honorable discharge and returned to Joplin, Missouri, with his wife and family. He enrolled in evening classes at Joplin Junior College while working a full-time job. He obtained his associate degree in 1960 from Joplin Junior College, now Missouri Southern State University. Since Joplin did not have a four-year university at that time, he moved to Pittsburg, Kansas, where he enrolled at Kansas State College of Pittsburg, now Pittsburg State University. He attended school full time and worked off jobs to supplement his income. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1962 and commenced employment with Phillips Petroleum Company in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in August of 1962. Don initially worked in the Comptroller’s Department from 1962 until 1967 when he was transferred to the International Department and moved to Lagos, Nigeria, with his family. They lived in Nigeria until 1972 when he was transferred back to Bartlesville. He resumed work in the Comptroller’s Department until 1974 when he transferred back to the International Department. He worked in the Latin America-Asia Division in Bartlesville until 1983, when he was transferred to the Aisa Division office in Singapore. The Singapore office was closed in 1985, and he transferred back to Houston in December of 1985. They lived in Houston for a year and he transferred back to Bartlesville in 1986. He worked in the Overseas Division in Bartlesville until 1991 when he elected to take early retirement after 29 years of service.

While working in the International Department, Don traveled extensively and had the opportunity to visit four countries in Latin America, approximately eight or nine countries in Europe, and several countries in Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. Don enjoyed visiting new places and continued to travel with his wife after retirement, including trips to Europe and Hawaii, plus annual trips to Florida and Las Vegas. In later years, he was unable to travel long distances due to declining health of his wife. He was a caregiver for his wife for several years prior to her passing on May 6, 2019.

Don was a devoted grandfather and loved spending time with his grandchildren. Some of his most cherished moments were watching their baseball and soccer games, often attending tournaments out of Bartlesville. Don also enjoyed spending time outdoors and spent many hours working in his yard. He was a perfectionist when it came to his yard. Don was also an avid Oklahoma Sooner football fan and rarely missed an OU game on TV.

Don was preceded in death by his wife of 62 plus years, who passed away on May 6, 2019. He will join her in Heaven, so they can again travel together. He was also preceded in death by his mother, father, a sister, and two brothers. He is also survived by four children: Tom Daniels of Owasso, Oklahoma; Steve Daniels of Sachse, Texas; Sandra Daniels of Bartlesville and Sue Smith of Owasso. He is also survived by a sister, Delores Robinson and seven grandchildren: Andrew Wood, Adam Wood, Ethan Wood, April Benjamin, Tori Smith, and Shauna Bellator and six great-grandchildren: Ava Walker, Amelia Bellator, Dawson Bellator, Archie Bellator, Vance Daniels, Ramsey Wood, and Sydney Wood.

A visitation is planned for Wednesday, February 4, 2026, from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home. The funeral service for Don will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 1:00 PM in the chapel of Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home. Entombment will follow at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Bartlesville. Arrangements are under the direction of Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home and Cremation Service of downtown Bartlesville. To leave an online condolence for Don, visit www.honoringmemoriesbartlesville.com.