Mr. Leon McKay McDaniel

May 13, 1945 - March 6, 2022

Leon “Lee” McKay McDaniel, 76, departed this life on Sunday, March 6, 2022, in Detroit, Michigan at DMC Harper University Hutzel Hospital. He was born Sunday, May 13, 1945, to McKay McDaniel (Daddy Mac) and Coretha (Deering) McDaniel in Tampa, Florida. He is the only son and youngest of four children through this union. He also had two stepbrothers, Curtis McDaniel and Thomas McDaniel. Leon was educated in Tampa Public School System growing up. Upon graduation in 1962 from Middleton Senior High School, he enrolled in Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) where he earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration in 1966. He joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc while at FAMU. He served his country in the United States Army during the period of the Vietnam War. Leon is also a 33rd degree Freemason. Leon met Blanchea Robinson in 1972 which led to a long courtship. They were united in holy matrimony on August 11, 1984. They enjoyed 30 years of blissful marriage and 42 years of companionship before her death on January 29, 2015. Leon began his career with General Motors as a factory worker, a job his Uncle William (Bill) Deering helped him get. Always an ambitious person, Lee began to move up the ranks from sales to management to his final position as the Director of the Minority Dealers Program at GM and was instrumental in helping to gain ownership for many minority GM Dealers across the United States and consulting with them to ensure their success. He gained many lifetime friends along the way. He was employed for over 30 years before retiring in 2002. Before retiring from GM, Lee owned The Limit Cocktail Lounge for 7 years. He ran the business with his children until he decided to sell and fully retire. Leon was proceeded in death by his wife Blanchea (Robinson) McDaniel, parents McKay and Coretha McDaniel, two sisters Thelma Ivey and LouJean Williams, two brothers Curtis McDaniel and Thomas McDaniel, aunts Willie Mae Bowden, Vicey (Carroll) Speights, Lue Bennie (Alexander) Robinson, and Ollie Mae (Glesner) Jackson, uncles Solomon Deering, Johnnie Mack, Chester Deering, William (Evelyn) Deering, and James (Ora) Deering, nephews Michael Ivey and Isaac McDaniel, niece Curtistine Jones-Gardner, granddaughter Breanna Nicole Bitson, father and mother-in law David and Ruby Robinson, two sisters-in-law Ethel Lee Robinson and Emily Robinson, three brothers-in law Curtis Jones, Augusta (Micky) Robinson and David (Champ) Robinson, Jr. Leon leaves behind to cherish his memory two sons Rory McDaniel and Elton (Tabatha) Eaton, one stepdaughter Portia (Eric) Bitson all of Southfield, Michigan; one sister Rosalie Nelson-Jones, Tampa, Florida; three sisters-in-law Hattie Lee Cockroft, Juanita Duncan, and Geneva Robinson, all from Peoria, Illinois; one brother-in-law William Earl Robinson, Peoria, Illinois; two devoted nephews Steven (Thomasina) Brannon and Maurice (Debbie) Brown, both of Tampa, Florida; five devoted nieces Bertha Williams-Smith, Los Angeles, California and Cathy (Matthew) Arrington, Sonja (Henry) Norton, Kenya McDaniel, and Yvette Ida Rolle all of Tampa, Florida; eight grandchildren Darius Gaines, Kendall Eaton, Essence Eaton, Kayla Bitson, Bonnie-Rae McDaniel, David Bitson, Adaya Eaton, and Angelo McDaniel; and one great-granddaughter Talasia Eaton-Lee. He also leaves behind a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends. A celebration of life service will be held at T.W. Parks Colonial Chapel in Peoria, IL on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at 10:00 A.M. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service at 9:00 A.M. Interment will follow at Lutheran Cemetery. Online condolences and acknowledgments will be made at twparkschapel.com. Due to Covid-19, both mask and social distancing are mandated.