Eminent Homemaker
County: Lake
Chrys Daniel, Wentworth, grew up believing in the personal values of honesty, integrity and service to others. She naturally stressed those values to her children who had to look no further to find truth in example. Guiding them was a woman who shared her in-born abilities with those in her community, church and state.
Chrys was a 4-H leader for 10 years, during which time she served as a county project leader in home environment and judged demonstrations at the county and state levels. The Daniel family also hosted International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) delegates from Finland, Ireland and Australia and many inter-state and Canadian exchange students.
She helped organize the Tip Top Extension Homemakers Club years ago and has remained active on the county level and served a term as Lake County Council chairman.
But her commitment to community causes did not stop there. She has served on the Prairie Village Opera House Board and the Advisory Council for Sioux Valley Empire Electric Association. She served on the Prairie Repertory Theatre Board until recently.
Daniel has utilized her communications talents, both written and spoken, to reach others. She is the author of three books about farm and family life and is the family life reporter for the Madison Daily Leader where she has worked for 24 years. In addition, she is a columnist for the SVEEA newsletter and is the former newsletter editor for the South Dakota Livestock Association. She also served as Lake County Women's chairman for the Farm Bureau. For her experiences and outlook on life, she is invited to speak at many meetings and banquets.
She has served her United Methodist Church as a Sunday school teacher and youth fellowship leader. She is a certified lay speaker and lay delegate to the annual conference, as well as a member of the United Methodist Women and church circle. She has also served on the Conference Board of Higher Education for the Methodist Church. Chrys' love for sharing has not come without reward. She has been honored as a Little International Honored Homemaker at South Dakota State University and was Young Men and Women's (YMW) Woman of the Year. She also received recognition for her writing from the South Dakota Press Association.
Daniel and her husband, Bill, have four children: Jerri Lilevjen of Burke, Virginia; Dale of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota; Dave of Madison; and Julie Hansen of Wentworth.