Dr. John Paul Daniels

Dr. John Paul Daniels (“Doc Daniels”) 78, passed away

on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011 at Closer to Home Assisted Living in St.

Ignatius following an extended battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

John was born on Jan. 4, 1933, in Madison, Wis., to

Einar and Lorraine Daniels. John spent his childhood in Wauwatosa,

Wis., along with his brother Stephen and attended Wauwatosa High

School where he graduated in 1951. Even in his early life, John was

an avid outdoorsman and during the summers between his high school

years enjoyed a number of adventures with his lifelong friend, John

Morgridge, and other boyhood friends. When he was 14, he spent two

weeks canoeing down a Wisconsin River, and on a later occasion he

drove with friends from Wisconsin through the American West and

back. This began John’s lifelong love of the Western states. John

also had a great love of sports and while he was in high school he

played football and was on the tennis team.

After graduating from high school, John began

university at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich.

where he majored in forestry. In 1952, John married his high school

sweetheart, Nancy Altman, and she joined him at Michigan Tech.

After graduating from Michigan Tech in 1955 with a B.S. in

forestry, John and Nancy moved to New Haven, Conn. so that John

could pursue a master of science in forest pathology from Yale

University.

After graduating from Yale in 1956, John began

working as a research forest pathologist for the U.S. Forest

Service headquartered in Albuquerque, N.M. Later, he worked for the

Navajo Tribe as a forester and was headquartered in Window Rock,

Ariz.

From New Mexico, John then decided to enroll at

Stanford University where he earned a Master of Science in

psychology in 1961. After graduating from Stanford, John decided to

continue his education by attending medical school.

John attended medical school at the University of

Wisconsin in Madison where he earned his medical degree in 1965.

Following medical school, John began his residency at Sacred Heart

Hospital in Spokane.

After completing his residency in 1966, John came to

work at the Mission Mountain Clinic in St. Ignatius. John fell in

love with the Mission Mountains and decided to make the area his

home. John maintained his love of the mountains for the rest of his

life. While he was living in Mission, John became known as an

accomplished surgeon and performed all manner of medical

procedures.

During this time of his life, John enjoyed hunting

and fishing and also learned to fly at the St. Ignatius Airport.

Also, during his early years in Montana, John was an active voice

for various low-income groups, i.e. LIGHT.

After John and Nancy divorced, John moved to Nome,

Alaska, for a year. John often fondly looked back on his time in

Alaska and appreciated the chance to help the villagers there who

had little access to medical care.

During the early 1970s, John returned again to

Western Montana, at which time he began living in the Jocko Valley

near Finley Creek. At this time, John found employment at the

Plains Hospital working for one of his finest friends, Dr. Jack

Lulack. Later, John opened his own clinic in Arlee. John also

attended log-building school and built a number of homes during

this time.

John continued working at his clinic in Arlee

throughout the 1980s and during this time constructed a number of

log homes as well. He enjoyed restoring cars in his free time and

John also took the time for several extended trips to the

Philippines and Indonesia during this period.

During the past 25 years, John continued his work at

his clinic and also spent his time hiking, woodworking and with his

daughter at barrel races and rodeos. John loved spending time with

his children and grandchildren and one of his favorite things was

enjoying family meals together.

John maintained a deep respect and admiration for the

people of the Flathead Reservation during the time he practiced

medicine. Up until the time he retired, he continued to make

house-calls and welcomed people into his home after hours to treat

their injuries.

John is predeceased by his parents, Einar and

Lorraine Daniels, and by his son, Erik Daniels.

John is survived by two sons and a daughter, Jeffrey

Daniels and his wife Barbara Daniels, Peter Daniels and his wife

Gabrielle Daniels and Rima Daniels Carnicero and her husband Jorge

Carnicero. He is also survived by his brother, Stephen Daniels.

John is survived by five grandchildren, Neoma Geddes, Hugh Daniels,

Karl Daniels, Soren Daniels and Miles Daniels. He is also survived

by three great-grandchildren and a nephew, Brian Daniels.

A celebration of life is planned for late-spring 2012

in Arlee.