Obituaries

Dr. Charles Harold Daniels, 97, of El Dorado, Arkansas, passed away on August 8, 2026.

A Remarkable and True American Success Story

Charles was born on May 16, 1929, in Selma, Arkansas, to Oscar M. Daniels and Nellie Burdine Daniels. Born in a logging camp during the first year of the Great Depression, Charles learned the meaning of hard work almost as soon as he could walk. At the age of two, he moved with his family to Union County.

In 1934, at just five years old, he worked in the cotton fields alongside his brothers, ages 18, 16, and 12. Despite his young age, he was expected to keep pace with them, chopping cotton with a hoe and picking it by hand.

In 1941, as the massive mobilization of military personnel during World War II created severe labor shortages at home, 12-year-old Charles was recruited to drive the school bus, transporting himself and his classmates to and from Myrtle Grove School each morning and afternoon. After completing his afternoon bus route, he reported to the oil fields, where he worked on an oil rig under the direction of a 15-year-old foreman.

By the eighth grade, Charles was attending Rose Hill School, where he joined the track team and specialized in pole vaulting—with a pole he had crafted himself from a sapling tree.

In the fall of 1946, during his senior year, he played football on the last El Dorado Wildcat team to play at Coleman Field, now the site of Barton Junior High School, before the construction of Memorial Stadium.

During his high school summers, Charles hitchhiked to Indiana to work construction alongside his sister’s brother-in-law, “Tiny,” who finagled him a fake union card so he could work despite being underage.

After high school, Charles went to work for a civil engineering and construction company. Using the skills he learned there, along with money he had carefully saved, he set out to single-handedly build his parents a home on Mount Holly Road in El Dorado. His plans were interrupted when he was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War. He served with the 24th Infantry Division on the front lines in Korea.

Upon completing his military service, Charles returned home to El Dorado and finished the house he had begun for his parents. It was a true labor of love and marked the first time his parents had ever owned a home of their own.

In 1954, Charles married Clo Ann Benson, whom he lovingly described as a very inspiring and encouraging lady. Shortly after their marriage, they traveled to Indiana, where Charles joined his brothers on a construction project. After witnessing firsthand the dangers associated with that line of work, Ann asked Charles if there was a profession he had always dreamed of pursuing. His answer was dentistry.

With Ann's encouragement, they packed their bags and returned to El Dorado so Charles could pursue a college education. In 1955, he enrolled at Southern State College in Magnolia, Arkansas. In true Charles fashion, he completed four years of college in just three, enabling him to use his Korean War GI Bill benefits to pay for his first year of dental school. In 1957, he was accepted to Saint Louis University School of Dentistry, graduating in 1961.

Charles went on to build a successful dental practice that spanned 38 years, earning the trust and affection of generations of patients along the way. He was known not only for his skill as a dentist, but for the extraordinary compassion, generosity, and care he showed to anyone who walked through his office door.

Charles's passions invariably led him outdoors. Among the things he treasured most about hunting was the time it afforded him with his son and, in later years, his grandchildren. He took great pride in his expansive vegetable garden, passing along his love of gardening to his son and daughters. And whenever he found the time, Charles loved building things with his hands—a passion that remained with him throughout his life.

Above all, Charles put God first. He faithfully served as a deacon for many years at his beloved church. He was also active in his community as a member of the Jaycees, Chamber of Commerce, and Kiwanis Club, and was a lifetime member of the Arkansas State Dental Association and the American Dental Association.

Charles was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 72 years, Clo Ann Daniels, who passed away just 49 days before him. After more than seven decades of life side by side, their time apart was brief.

He was also preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, John C. “Jake” Daniels, Horace M. “Bee” Daniels, Ferman D. “Duke” Daniels, and Henry A. Daniels; one sister, Mattie Pauline “Ann” Daniels Taylor; and one grandchild, Ainsley Victoria.

He is survived by his four children, Diane, Dwayne, Kristi, and Leigh; grandchildren, Justin, Tyler, Joey, Sarah, Jacob, Julia, Sam, and Charlotte; and great-grandchildren, Aiden, Rose, and James.

May his memory forevermore be a blessing.

Visitation will be held at Young's Funeral Directors in El Dorado, Arkansas, on August 17, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:30 a.m.

Condolences may be expressed at www.youngsfuneralhome.com

In honor of Charles, memorials may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children or Westside Baptist Church in El Dorado, Arkansas.