August 27, 1949 ~ December 17, 2025

Ervin Leroy Dannel, age 76, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. He was born on August 27, 1949, in Grandview, Tennessee, to the late Ervin Leroy Dannel, Sr. and Mary Smith Dannel.

Mr. Dannel was a member of New Hope Baptist Church. He proudly served his country in the United States Army. Following his military service, he devoted forty years to the Rhea County School System, working as a custodian and maintenance technician, where he was fondly known by generations of students and staff as “Mr. Leroy.” During this time, he also operated a small ICEE business that was dearly loved by the children of the community. In his spare time, he enjoyed farming, raising cattle, and caring for an assortment of other animals.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by several brothers and sisters.

He is survived by his wife, Brenda Sue Dannel; sons, James (Heather) Fox, Paul (Melissa) Jewell, and Jeffery (Iva) Jewell; sisters, Luci Moore, Wilma (Curtis) Hicks, Lena Honeycutt, Barbara Gibson, and Helen Riggs; brothers, Thomas (Stacy) Caywood and Charles (Ann) Paul; fourteen grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of Coulter Garrison Funeral Home, with Pastor Mark Ward and Pastor Rusty Revis officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday, December 19, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and again on Saturday one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in Spring City Cemetery.