John Fredrick McDaniel Sr.

John Fredrick McDaniel, Sr. passed away on September 21, 2026 at the age of 83 in Amarillo, Texas.

John was born November 4, 1942 in Fairfax, Oklahoma to Charlie Russell and Dica Lavauda (Oldham) McDaniel. His family moved to Borger, Texas when John was six months old, making him a transplanted Texan! He graduated from Borger High School in 1961 where he was heavily recruited as a Division I football player. Because the love of his life, Julia Annette Massingill, was attending Wayland Baptist College in nearby Plainview, choosing to play football at Texas Tech University was an easy decision for him. When even the road between Lubbock and Plainview was too long, he married his sweetheart on August 23, 1963 and they settled in Canyon, attending West Texas State University.

John worked at IBP in Amarillo, Millard Warehouse in Omaha, Nebraska, and owned and operated CiCi’s Pizza franchises in Lubbock and Amarillo before retiring. He and Annette spent their retirement years in their RV traveling all over the US, but spending the majority of their time in the mountains of Colorado. John was an avid outdoorsman earning his Eagle Scout as a young man – spending many hours camping and fishing throughout his life.

John and Annette were always actively involved in their church where John served as a deacon for over 50 years. John loved the Lord and would tell everyone how blessed he was on a daily basis. He had a big personality and would talk to anyone and everyone and took over any room he entered. He daily asked his beautiful bride “Have I told you today how much I love you?” Even in the final stages of dementia, he continued to ask her that question daily. He was an amazing father to his son, John Jr., and daughter, Jamie, and never passed on the opportunity to brag about his six grandchildren – all of whom share very special memories of their grandpa.

John is preceded in death by his parents, and his older brothers, Clarence and Charles.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Annette; his son, John (Crissy) of Amarillo, Texas; and his daughter, Jamie (Don) Savage of Lubbock, Texas. His grandchildren—Nolan (Payton) Savage of Pensacola, Florida; Elizabeth (Heath) Holland of Rockwall, Texas; Grant (Bailee) Savage of Lubbock, Texas; Meredith (Mitch) Parma of Houston, Texas; Landon (Karlly) Savage of New Bern, North Carolina; and Cole (Bailey) McDaniel of Fort Worth, Texas; His brother, Dr. James McDaniel of Lindale, Texas. John is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 1208 S. Tyler St., Amarillo, Texas with Dr. Howie Batson and Corky Holland officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.