Couple in tragic crash well-known as Mr. and Mrs. Claus

Kelly McGowan
Des Moines Register

 

Jack and Joyce Daniels visited Farmers & Merchants State Bank in Winterset Saturday morning as part of the yearly rounds the couple, both 79, made dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Jack and Joyce Daniels dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, to visit children at a bank in Winterset. Icy roads caused a car accident that killed Joyce and injured Jack on their way from the visit.

Just a week before Christmas Eve, right after their morning of listening to children's Christmas wishes, wintry roads caused a car accident that killed Joyce and severely injured Jack.

The vehicle lost control, slipped off the road and rolled once before landing upside-down in a ditch around 11:30 a.m. Saturday on St. Charles Road about four miles outside of Winterset, according to the Iowa State Patrol and the Madison County Sheriff's Office.

The longtime St. Charles residents were well-known and liked by the whole town, said Larry Daniels, Jack's younger brother who lives in Des Moines. They'd been making visits as Santa and Mrs. Claus for at least 15 years, he said.

"They loved children and loved to make them happy," Larry Daniels said. "They'd give them small gifts, all out of their own pocket. They loved kids.” 

He said Joyce was a generous well-known, likable person.

"Everybody was her friend. … She would do anything for anybody," he said.

Jack and Joyce Daniels sit together, dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus, ready to hear Christmas wishes from children. Icy roads caused a car accident on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 that killed Joyce and injured Jack on their way from visiting children in Winterset.

Jack Daniels remains in the hospital, recovering from a broken shoulder blade and collarbone and other injuries, he said. "He's in pain," Larry Daniels said.

Jack's younger brother, Claude Daniels, said the couple would brave winter weather to bring joy to local children.

"A few weeks ago, it was cold out, but they went and they saw 148 kids," Claude Daniels said.

 //Jennie Hargrove of Winterset brought her baby daughter Reba to the bank Saturday morning.

“She was in awe,” Hargrove said. “She loved to see his beard and sit on his lap. She wasn’t afraid.”

That approachability came from the years of experience as the Claus couple, Hargrove said. Though Hargrove didn’t know the Danielses personally, she said she was sure Joyce’s legacy would live on.

“I hope that people remember that she spent the last hours of her life bringing joy to children,” Hargrove said. “It was a tragic ending, but she got to spend her last day doing something she loved.”

“It’s just a sad situation, it’s bad anytime, and let alone just before Christmas,”

The sad situation was magnified by being right before Christmas, said Jerry McDonald, who has been the couple's neighbor in St. Charles for more than 50 years.  //

“They just were a couple that was always together," McDonald said. "They were always out in the community — didn’t have an enemy in the world."

The Danielses had five children and a large extended family, he said. Joyce had been a stay-at-home mom, and prior to retirement, Jack had worked at a printing company on Des Moines' east side, McDonald said.

"You couldn't ask for nicer neighbors … They would do anything they could for you," McDonald said.

Former St. Charles Mayor Joan Brown said the couple was more active in the Santa and Mrs. Claus roles than anyone else she has seen.

"Any place there were children who wanted to see Santa Claus, that’s where they’d be,” Brown said. “It’s really devastating.”

Madison County Sheriff's Deputy Don Kinney said the roads were "terrible" that day, and that the loss is now being felt throughout the community.

“They were very well-known for what they did (as) Santa and Mrs. Claus," Kinney said. "There were quite a few people who knew them. (Joyce) will be missed.”

Kinney reminded drivers to be careful in winter driving conditions.

“Use caution," he said. "You have to take caution and use extra time to get to where you’re going.”

Correction: A previous version of this story included the last name of Jennie Hargrove incorrectly.