Jorilla Daily

Heaven became a happier place on August 5, 2016 when Jorilla “Jody” (Wardlow) Daily was welcomed by the Lord and her family in Jesus following a battle with bile duct cancer. While we grieve our loss, we celebrate her reunion with the Lord and family. The Lord gave Jody the breath of life on August 1, 1947 when born to TJ and Mattie (Anditon) Wardlow in Bay Springs, Mississippi. Her early years were spent in East Tennessee as they moved to various towns with her Dad’s road work. Millington, Tennessee is where they finally settled. Jody graduated from Millington High School in 1966 and her younger brother Kevin in 1971. Jody went on to finish an Associates Degree in Physical Education from Freed-Hardeman College in 1967 and Kevin graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1975. Shortly following Jody’s college graduation, she met Charles S. Daily Jr. at church one Sunday morning and following his graduation from the US Naval Aviation Electronics School in Millington, they were joined in marriage on October 29, 1967. Charlie’s duty stations took them to Virginia Beach, VA, May Port, FL, and Charleston, SC where daughter Amy Ellen was born, then to Jacksonville Beach, FL where daughter Laura Dawn was born. Charles completed his service in the US Navy aboard the USS McCaffery (DD 860) in 1970 and Jody and Charlie moved to Covington, TN near her parents in Millington. November 2, 1972 brought the birth of Charles Spencer the III as Jody continued her deep devotion to family according to their plans for 4 children. From the beginning of their marriage, Charles and Jody were devoted to living lives of faith in Jesus Christ, worshipping and serving in Churches of Christ where ever they lived. Jody often took the kids to visit the widows of the church and became involved in teaching children’s Bible classes. After working three years for Warwick Electronics as an associate engineer, Charles resigned to pursue a higher calling. Together, they put their new home on the market, followed the Lord’s leading hand and in 1973 enrolled in the Preston Road School of Preaching in Dallas, TX, a 24 month fulltime program of preparation for ministry. Jody not only did a wonderful job of caring for their young family but typed all of Charlie’s outlines, course papers and notebooks and gave birth to number 4, Charla Danielle in 1975. Ordained to preach, with Diploma in hand, the family accepted their first ministry opportunity with the Fruitvale Church of Christ east of Dallas. Jody encouraged and supported Charlie in his work and was a devoted Bible School Teacher, building a large file of beautiful visuals for children’s classes as well as teaching ladies classes and hosting numerous church functions in their home over the next 35+ years of ministry. The Lord led them through ministries in Groesbeck, Belton, Rogers, Liberty Hill, McGregor and Teague, TX. With a youth group of their own, Charlie & Jody devoted a great deal of ministry to working with young people in churches where they served. Amy, Laura, Spence and Charla all committed their lives to the Lord in their youth and continue to live by the faith passed on to them, especially through the diligent efforts of Jody’s, teaching, training and singing the good news of Jesus to them from their earliest days. The family always enjoyed singing spiritual songs together. Jody also contributed to the financial support of the family. After they all reached school age, she worked as an elementary and jr high school aid for special needs children, Belton Church of Christ secretary, Belton High School receptionist, Scott & White Hospital intake representative, and a secretary for the North-side Church of Christ in Temple, Texas for 9 years before retiring. She was very active in the Robinson Church of Christ for the past 3 years, involved in ladies activities and hosting fellowships and devotional activities in her home. A true servant of the Lord, she devoted her life to expressing her faith through sincere love which was felt deeply by her family, her church family and the multitude of friends who celebrate her victory. Her grandchildren were overjoyed when Nana was coming with gifts and presents and her special “toodle-lem-ado” tickling routine. She is survived by her husband Charles of McGregor, 4 children: Amy Johnson & husband Jeff of Arlington, TX, Laura Daily of Hewitt, TX, Spencer Daily and partner Todd Brock of Dallas, TX and Charla Rojas and husband Johnny of Fresno, CA. Grandchildren include Jeffrey and Nathan Johnson, Tyler Shultz, Mattie Millwee, Johnny Rojas Jr, Bella Rojas and Rocky Rojas. Other family members include her brother and sister-in-law, Kevin and Mary Wardlow of Waterford, VA and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Please join us for a celebration of Jody’s life to be held at the Robinson Church of Christ, 428 Chaddo Ln, Robinson, TX at 2 pm on Saturday, August 13, 2016. The family requests donations be made in lieu of flowers to Cherokee Home for Children, PO Box 295, Cherokee, Texas 76832.