Obituary: Bill Daniels, Owner of Marin’s United Markets

Bill Daniels, owner and president of Marin’s United Markets died Nov. 29 at the age of 75. Daniels started in the industry at age 17, working at Purity Markets, in Marin, Calif.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he began work at United Markets in San Anselmo. In 1982, Daniels, along with business partner Bob Musante, purchased United Markets from the Saccone brothers; Daniels and Musante ran the business together until the latter retired in 2007.

“He was driven and he took pride in the market,” Musante said in a local news report. “It was almost like a stepchild to him. He put every ounce of energy he had in seeing to it that the business flowed in the direction that he wanted it to go.”

Daniels took full ownership of the two independent grocery stores, located in San Anselmo and San Rafael, in 2013, running them with his daughter Kelly Smith.

“He took great pride in being ‘Home Grown in Marin,'” said son Mark Daniels. “His family members would often ask if he would consider expanding United Markets outside of Marin, but he always said that he wanted to be physically close to the stores. He liked to inspect the meat and produce daily, rotating and positioning the fruits. He was literally ‘hands-on.'”

In addition to his son and daughter, Daniels is survived by a brother, Richard Daniels, of Sacramento, and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sandy Daniels, in 2013.