Thurma Virgene McDaniel passed away peacefully in the Palliative Care Unit at Strong Memorial Hospital on January 22, 2026. Thurma grew up in southern Ohio. She graduated from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and worked as a technical associate in the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Rochester. After her marriage to Bruce McDaniel, who had come to Rochester to write for a legal publisher, she and her husband made their home in Brighton, New York.
Thurma and Bruce met at a young adult fellowship at Bruce’s church. They became involved together in refugee resettlement after the end of the Vietnam War, forming bonds with a Vietnamese family that have lasted to this day.
After Thurma and Bruce were married, their family grew to three children: Ed, adopted from Korea at the age of 14 months, Loring (known as Tink, a nickname passed down in Thurma’s family), born at Highland Hospital, and Eva, who came to them from Korea at the age of seven.
Thurma continued her work in research at the University of Rochester, finally retiring in 2023 after a career of 45 years. Thurma loved animals, and there was always at least one dog and several cats in their home. Her pets were the joy of her life. Her kind manner endeared her to all who knew her.
Thurma was the daughter of Leo Loring Vaughan and Rowena H. Harrah. She was predeceased by her son Ed. She is survived by her husband, Bruce I. McDaniel, her children Eva (John) Rusch and Loring I. McDaniel, her grandchildren Bruce A. Vargas, Samantha Rusch, and Colin Rusch, her sister, Hilah Layne, her brothers, Leo Loring Vaughan II, Roy (Linda) Vaughan, and Tony (Cindi) Vaughan, a brother-in-law Scott McDaniel, numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives, close family friend Kim Nghiem, and many friends from throughout her life.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. at the Covenant United Methodist Church, 1124 Culver Rd, Rochester, NY.
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