More than 1,000 white towels were waving around in the air. Every voice in Alumni Gym chanted in unison, “Dr. Danieley … Dr. Danieley.” I felt chills run up and down my spine.
An Elon legend passed away this week. President Emeritus Dr. J. Earl Danieley was 92 years old and devoted more than 70 years of his life to the school he so dearly loved. He retired from teaching when he was in his nineties, after he had attended Elon as a student, served as dean, president and a chemistry professor. Meeting Dr. D or getting a picture with him was nothing short of a celebrity sighting.
Covering his death, truthfully the celebration of his life, for our local student news media, has been extremely difficult emotionally, to say the least. I had the privilege of meeting Dr. D a few times, to interview him for Elon Local News, and I met him around campus at various events. Over my four years at Elon, just in meeting him those few times, I could tell he was the human version of the word genuine.
Dr. D, as we called him, knew everybody. Not only did he know them, he had this way about him that made you feel like you were the only one in the room when he was talking to you. And he would grab your hand with both of his and hold on tight to prove it. And maybe that’s one of the reasons why his death, even though we had some warning, and covering it, has been so difficult. Because even though I didn’t know him incredibly well, Dr. D seemed to have this connection with just about every person he met.
That indescribable connection, that infectious smile, that pure authentic feel that Dr. D exhibited, won’t ever be forgotten. Certainly, yes, Elon is mourning his death, but I called it more of a celebration of his life than utter sadness. This past week just about every person you talked to related to Elon in some way had a story to tell about Dr. Danieley, and they lit up as they told it. Countless other stories and pictures of Dr. D flooded over social media.
Saying Dr. D was special is a tremendous understatement. He embodied Elon. In an interview he did just a little while ago, he was asked what he wanted his legacy to be. Dr. Danieley responded, “that the ‘ol boy did good.” You sure did, Dr. D.
