Fern L. McDaniel, 83, of Frontenac, formerly of Parsons, died at 6:21 a.m. Sunday, May 29, 2011, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.

She was born Jan. 5, 1928, at Hepler to Edward Marion and Gertrude Frances (Fager) Westhoff. She grew up and attended school in Hepler and graduated from high school there.

She married Robert N. McDaniel on June 3, 1948, at Hepler. Following marriage, they moved to Parsons, where she operated a day care from her home for many years. He preceded her in death in 1999. In 2000, she moved to Frontenac, where she worked at the United Methodist Church's Kid's First Day Care.   

She attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frontenac and had attended St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons. She enjoyed gardening and being outdoors

Survivors include two sons, Robert "Ron" McDaniel of Parsons and Joe McDaniel of Eugene, Ore.; three daughters, Nila Robinson of McCune, Kathy Martin of Frontenac and Donna Schmid of Parsons; 16 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; a brother, Bob Westhoff of Parsons; three sisters, Patty Lucas of Omaha, Neb., Doris Prickett of Kansas City, Kan., and Ellen Harris of Girard.

In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, four sisters, one son, one grandson and two great-grandsons.

The service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons with burial following at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Walnut. The rosary will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. The family will receive friends immediately following the rosary.

Memorials are suggested to St. Jude's Children’s Research Hospital. These may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.