Anthony E. Daniels Obituary
Anthony “Tony” Daniels (or Duke to his close friends and family), 82, of Herndon, VA, passed away on February 20th, 2023. Tony was born on January 27th, 1941 to Raymond and Carmella Daniels in Pittsburgh, PA. After he graduated from Bethel Park High School in 1959, he went on to study Physical Education at Slippery Rock State College in Slippery Rock, PA. Tony was a founding member of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity at Slippery Rock and was also a standout quarterback for the Slippery Rock Football Team.
While playing football at Slippery Rock, Tony lettered three years playing quarterback from 1959 – 1962. In the 1962 season, he scored a school record four touchdowns in one game, throwing for three and running for one. That same year, Slippery Rock won their first conference championship and his single game record stood for the next twelve years.
After graduation, he started his first job at Port View Liberty High School as an assistant football coach and physical education teacher, kickstarting a four-year career in high school athletics. In 1963, Tony met the love of his life, Nancy Chandler, in McKeesport, PA. Tony was teaching when one of his students decided to introduce the handsome young teacher and coach to her older sister. Tony and Nancy went on to have three children, Dawn, Kelly and Marc.
In 1967, at the suggestion of a fellow coach, Tony applied for the Agent position with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Much to his surprise, he was admitted to New Agents class and embarked upon a remarkable 27-year career. Tony began his career as a new agent in Jackson, Mississippi during the height of the Civil Rights Era. He then went on to work Organized Crime in Newark, NJ, putting his Italian heritage to good use. He was a Supervisor in the Tampa, FL office, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) in Pittsburgh and the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Oklahoma City office. His career culminated in the role of Assistant Director at both the FBI training facility in Quantico, VA and the Washington Metropolitan Field Office. While at Quantico, Tony had the opportunity to be involved in the movie Silence of the Lambs. He even had a cameo role where he congratulated and handed Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) her credentials when she “graduated” from the Academy.
As an Assistant Director, Tony was considered an “agent’s agent.” He never hid behind his rank, and his agents would tell you that his door was always open to any of them. He was a leader who led from the front. He loved his agents and they loved him back.
In 1994, Tony retired from the FBI and embarked on an Investigative/Consulting career, founding the firm Daniels, Burke & Associates in McLean, VA. After several years Tony retired again, choosing to spend his free time with family who he loved dearly and golfing with “Charlie’s Boys.”
Tony was predeceased by his daughter Dawn, brother Joseph (Kathy), mother Carmella and father Raymond. He is survived by his wife Nancy, daughter Kelly (Trevor) Lauer, son Marc (Cherry) Daniels and his ten grandchildren, Nicholas Lauer, Cade Herdman, Hunter Herdman, Drew Lauer, Blake Daniels, Keaton Daniels, Claire Daniels, Owen Daniels, Kylie Bezdek and Carmen Bezdek.
Viewings will be held on Saturday 2/25/2023 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 pm and on Sunday, 2/26/2023 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home (Fairfax, VA). Mass we be held on Monday, 2/27/2023 at 10:00 am at St. John Neumann (Reston, VA). The graveside service will follow at Fairfax Memorial Gardens (Fairfax, VA). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the SA Jeffrey Drubner Legacy Fund https://www.fbiaa.org/about/charities/sa-jeffrey-drubner-legacy-fund/). The Drubner Fund provides financial assistance to the family members of FBI Special Agents who are killed in the line of duty. It also provides financial assistance to Agents who are shot in the line of duty during an adversarial action.
