Daniel R. Clemson, Jr.

Daniel R. Clemson, Jr., 89, has gone to be with his Heavenly Father at 6:55 a.m., on Friday, February 19, 2021. He was a resident at Country Meadows Retirement Community in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He was predeceased by his parents, Daniel R. Clemson, Sr. and Agnes T. Clemson (Gherrity) and his wife Genevieve E. Clemson (Kozar). He is survived by his daughters, Kathleen T. Stouffer (James) of Mechanicsburg, Jennifer K. McKee (Frank) of Mechanicsburg, Michele B. Lebo (Michael) of Dillsburg; and a son, Daniel F. Clemson of Harrisburg. His two grandchildren, Jesse A. Stouffer (Chelsea) of Mechanicsburg, and Nicole L. Stouffer of Altoona, were the lights and loves of his life. Additionally, he is survived by his brother Frank G. Clemson, and family, of Bellefonte, PA and several cousins.

Daniel, best known as Danny, was born February 27, 1931, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He started his life being voted the Most Beautiful Baby Boy, six-to-12-month category, the same year. His family relocated to Bellefonte in Centre County, PA. Danny was a 1949 graduate of Bellefonte High School, where he was a member of the school’s first wrestling teams. He attended St. John’s Catholic school prior. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pennsylvania State University in 1958.

Danny was committed to public service. He began as a news and sports broadcaster in radio, then became a staff writer for the Centre Daily Times in Bellefonte. He moved on to government positions including borough, county, and state, in positions ranging from Bellefonte Chief Clerk in 1960, Bellefonte Borough Manager in 1964, Project Manager at Toftrees, Pennsylvania’s first open space community, until being named Administrative Officer by Robert P. Casey, Pennsylvania Auditor General, in 1969. Continuing his state service Danny was named as the Director of the Bureau of School Audits in 1970, and then named as Director of Audits by Al Benedict, Pennsylvania Auditor General in 1977, before retiring from the Department of Labor and Industry in 1993. He was named Bellefonte’s outstanding young man of the year by the Jaycees in 1961, acted as Bellefonte’s President of Church Council, was a long-term member of the Cumberland County Democratic Committee, and a member of the Board of School Directors in Mechanicsburg.

Danny was biographer and historian of the renowned vocal group, the Mills Brothers, served as researcher and collector of their work through Remembering the Mills Brothers, and founded the Mills Brothers Society. He also remained active in many endeavors through Historic Bellefonte as Renaissance Chair and won approval for four Pennsylvania Historic Markers. And of course, we can’t forget his Beloved Clemson University Tigers. He made many friends, friendly college football rivals, and acquaintances through his love of his ancestor’s school, and their teams. Did you know Dad had a hand in having April 6, 1988, named as Thomas Green Clemson Day here in his native state of Pennsylvania?

Danny was member of the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society, Clemson University IPTAY Scholarships, Bellefonte Historical Society, American Legion, Knights of Columbus, VFW Gold Circle, and an Inductee into the Bellefonte Education Foundation Hall of Fame.

Viewing will be held from 5-7pm Sunday, February 21st at Parthemore Funeral Home, 1303 Bridge Street, New Cumberland. Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 134 Bishop Street, Bellefonte, PA at 11am Monday followed by Committal at St. Johns Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations in Danny’s memory may be made to organizations close to his heart: Clemson University’s IPTAY Scholarship Fund, https://iptaycuad.com/annual-fund, United Cerebral Palsy of Central Pennsylvana, https://www.ucpcentralpa.org/give, or Life Song Hospice & Palliative Care, https://www.lifesongfoundation.org/dnate