Coreane Messer McDaniel

Posted on November 21, 2018

Coreane Messer McDaniel, 101, of Perry, passed away peacefully Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, leaving this life with the same grace and dignity with which she lived it.

Born Mary Coreane Messer on Sept. 28, 1917, in Altha, Fla., she was the fourth of four daughters born to Sam and Hattie Messer. Coreane graduated from Greenwood High School in Jackson County where she played on the girls’ basketball team and she excelled in math. She attended business college in Dothan, Ala. Upon graduation, she got a job as bookkeeper at Madison Motor Company in Madison. On Pearl Harbor Day, Dec., 7, 1941, she married her husband, John. During the war, while her husband served, she worked at Greenwood Peanut Company in Marianna. Afterwards, she and John made their home in Madison, where their children, Johnny and Reba, were born. In 1962, they relocated to Perry when they bought the Cantey-McDaniel Chevrolet business. Later they opened the Quality Auto Parts business.

Coreane was preceded in death by: her husband of fifty-four years; her parents; and her sisters, Estelle Rawls, Edna Messer and Pauline Peel.

She is survived by: her children, John McDaniel of Perry, and Reba (Rick) Olcott of Perry; three first cousins, Emma Nell Durden of Grand Ridge, Jargo Clark of Madison, and H. Hudson Messer of Tallahassee; a nephew, Doyle (Jan) Peel of Chipley; and a niece, Vera (Mike) Furtick of Tampa.

Coreane was a devoted wife, mother, daughter and sister. She moved to Marianna and cared for her sister, Edna Messer, during Edna’s last years. They were both in their nineties. She has been a member of First Baptist Church of Perry for 56 years. She was active in her Sunday School class and WMU. In past years, she also was a GA’s leader both in Perry and the First Baptist Church of Madison. She received the 50 Year Membership Award from the Perry Woman’s Club several years ago and is a lifetime member of the Perry Garden Club. Coreane served as an officer and was on various committees throughout the years for both clubs.

Coreane considered her children her greatest blessing and her family was the center of her life. She used her talents as a homemaker and seamstress to bless her family. She made everything, from Easter dresses and majorette outfits to men’s suits and horse blankets. If one of the kids wanted it, she made it! She also did needlework and crocheted beautifully. Many a baby has been cuddled in her handmade blankets. Her church family and friends appreciated her baking skills and enjoyed her cream cheese pound cakes and from-scratch chocolate brownies. Coreane considered flowers to be one of God’s perfect creations and cultivated them in her yard so she would have blooms every month of the year. She loved sharing them with others and was accomplished at flower arranging. She loved to participate in flower shows with her friends. One only needed to ask and she would share her flowers or make an arrangement for any organization or charity event. Since she became housebound, the flowers she had planted made her smile her beautiful smile that we all loved. God gave Coreane many gifts and she used them well.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 3 p.m. at Dellwood Baptist Church Cemetery in Greenwood, with Bro. Gary Brett and Bro. Steven Ruff officiating. The family received friends Monday, Nov. 19, from 6-8 p.m. at Joe P. Burns Funeral Home in Perry.

 All arrangements are under the direction of Burns Funeral Home of Perry.

Friends may sign the online guest book at www.joepburnsfuneralhomes.com