Harry Daniels

Harry Daniels, beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, educator, mentor and lifelong sports fan, passed away on September 16, 2026, at the age of 82.
Born September 29, 1943, and raised in Oelwein, Iowa, Harry carried his Midwestern roots with him throughout his life.
Basketball was an important part of Harry's early years. He attended what was then the State College of Iowa, now the University of Northern Iowa, where he played for the Panthers under legendary coach Norm “Stormin’ Norman” Stewart. Harry was a member of the celebrated 1963–64 team that finished the regular season 20–2, captured the North Central Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA College Division Final Four. Nearly six decades later, the team was inducted into the University of Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022, an honor that celebrated a chapter of Harry's life of which he and his family were immensely proud.
After his undergraduate years at Northern Iowa, Harry earned his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and went on to build a distinguished career in higher education.
He spent many years at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, serving in roles that included professor, career-planning administrator and Associate Dean of the Graduate School. In 1996, Harry joined the University of Florida as head of the Department of Counselor Education. During his 11 years as chair, the program was consistently recognized among the nation's finest, including earning the No. 1 ranking in 1997. He later served as director of UF's School of Human Development and Organizational Studies in Education and ultimately retired as Professor Emeritus.
Throughout his career, Harry taught and mentored generations of students and future counselors. He authored and co-authored numerous scholarly works and was a co-author of Counseling Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods.
Yet Harry's greatest source of pride was his family. He shared more than 50 years of marriage with his beloved wife, Diane DeVries Daniels, until her passing in 2019. Together they raised their daughters, Gretchen and Erin, whose lives and accomplishments brought him tremendous pride. He loved watching them share his enthusiasm for sports, excel in their professional lives and build families of their own.
Harry was equally proud of his grandsons, Noah and Carter, and treasured time spent with family and friends. He valued the many friendships he built throughout his life and loved traveling, both across the United States and abroad. A lifelong sports fan, he remained proud of his Iowa roots and enjoyed cheering on the Hawkeyes, the Gators and just about any good game that happened to be on.
In recent years, Harry was fortunate to enjoy the companionship of Barbara Adkins, whose friendship brought happiness to this chapter of his life.
Harry is survived by his daughters, Gretchen (Jeff) Garrison and Erin (Andy) Braddock; his grandsons, Noah and Carter Braddock; his sister, Anita Allwood; his companion, Barbara Adkins; as well as nieces, nephews and numerous close friends.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Diane DeVries Daniels; his brother, Kenneth Daniels; his nephew, Bruce Lane; and his parents, Paul and Frances Daniels.
Harry's life took him from a small town in Iowa to classrooms, universities and communities across the country. He remained deeply grateful for the opportunities he was given and often summed up his journey with a line that reflected both his humility and his pride: “Not bad for a kid from a small town in Iowa.”
He will be remembered not only for what he accomplished, but for the people he taught, encouraged, loved and influenced along the way.
A Celebration of Life will be held on October 1, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Plantation Hall in Haile Village Center.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Harry & Diane Daniels Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of Northern Iowa.