Rodney L. Daunais

Rodney Leon Daunais died on July 21st, 2026 at the Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, NY.

He was born on July 30, 1949 in Saranac Lake, NY the son of John “Ralph” Daunais and Vera Jean (Bourne) Daunais.

Rodney was a lifelong member of Saranac Lake, other than the time he spent in the military. He attended Saranac Lake Central School where he excelled in sports.  Including football, basketball, and his all-time favorite baseball where he was named to the All-Northern team in 1968. He was an avid NY Yankees fan for his entire life and attended training camps for the Montreal Expos, NY Yankees, and a few others.

He served in the United States Air Force from 1974 to 1992 with duty assignments in Tucson, AZ, Plattsburgh, NY (twice), MacDill AFB Tampa, Florida, Ankara Turkey, Sembach AB Germany, Zwei Brucken AB Germany. and his last duty assignment was at Victorville California before returning to Saranac Lake. He served his community as a paid fire driver for several years and as a volunteer firefighter for over forty years with the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department. He also enriched the lives, and supported people with developmental disabilities until he retired.

He is survived by his wife and partner of 26 years Roberta Daunais. His six children Veronica Daunais, Rodney Leon Daunais II, Cory Michael Spencer-Culver and his wife Tristan Culver, Alyssa Spencer and her partner Christopher Perry, Holly McLean and her partner Thomas Kurtz, and Danielle Spencer. Eight grandchildren, Logan Daunais Martelle, Alius Martell, Noah Boyd, Michael Culver, Alice McLean, Lucy Culver, Finley McLean, and Roman Leon McLean, and his sister Patricia Coventry.

He was predeceased in death by his parents John R. Daunais, and Vera Jean Daunais, and his sisters Mary Lynn Duprey, and Pamela J Pion, and brother John W. Daunais.

Calling hours will take place at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake on Friday August 7, 2026 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. A funeral service will immediately follow at 4:00 PM with military honors and a fireman’s prayer service.

Family and friends wishing to remember Rodney can make memorial contributions to the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department in care of the funeral home. Family and friends can also share their condolences and memories at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.