With gratitude to Mark’s family for allowing us to publish the following from his celebration of life, held June 28th, 2026, in Yamhill, Oregon.
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Mark Christopher McDaniel, beloved son, cousin, nephew, friend, coworker, traveler, wine enthusiast, and lifelong adventurer, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2026, surrounded by the love of family and friends.
Mark was born on August 19, 1963, in Forest Grove, Oregon, to Byron and Shirley McDaniel of Yamhill, OR. He was preceded in death by his father in 2017 and his mother in 2021.
Mark faced his diagnosis of glioblastoma with remarkable grace, courage, and acceptance. Never one to ask, “Why me?,” he remained focused on the people he loved, showing the same selflessness and concern for others that defined his entire life.
From a young age, Mark’s curiosity about the world was evident. An accomplished piano player as a child (although he always claimed he was never very good), he later earned a marching band scholarship to the University of Hawaii, where he played his mom’s trumpet and pursued his education. Mark ultimately earned a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, but his college years were about so much more than academics.
One of his most cherished experiences was participating in Semester at Sea. After seeing a poster on campus, Mark embarked on a journey around the world that would ignite a lifelong love of travel and exploration. The experience opened his eyes to the world and inspired adventures that continued throughout his life.
Mark loved Hawaii so much that he found creative ways to extend his stay, living there for approximately seven years before eventually returning to Oregon. After returning to the Portland area, he began his professional career at Reed College library in 1989 where he would spend many years and build lasting friendships over the span of 37 years.
He started in 1989 as the Stacks Supervisor, which involved supervising the students who shelve books, along with working the circulation desk. He eventually progressed to Circulation Operation Manager in charge of all things at the main desk. This included hiring and supervising 30+ student workers who worked over 240 cumulative hours per week. For his outstanding work in this role, he was awarded the Reed Staff Excellence Award in 2001. During his tenure, he supervised 600+ student workers and oversaw the circulation of 3.6 million books. According to colleagues, he was widely seen as “the face of the library.”
Mark’s Reed College work family adored Mark as he did them, and he was fortunate to have one of the best bosses a person could have, Jim Holmes. He considered Jim to be one of his dear friends as well. His Reed colleagues helped take him to treatments, visited him weekly, brought him flowers, lunch, his favorite treats, and were such a huge part of his life journey in so many ways.
Their dedication to him once again proves how many lives he touched and how important he was to us all. We are forever grateful to each of his coworkers who were more than just colleagues, but more importantly, cherished friends.
Travel remained one of Mark’s greatest passions. As a child, he enjoyed family vacations, Alaska cruises, and countless road trips with his parents and grandparents. He gathered many wonderful memories with his grandparents George and Mary Kurtz and David and Dorothy McDaniel, who all lived nearby. As an adult, he traveled extensively throughout the world, often accompanied by his dear friend Fran Ousley, a former colleague from Reed College. Of all the places he visited, Italy held a special place in his heart. Venice was his favorite destination, and he often remarked that if he could live anywhere in the world, it would be there. True to his love of all things Italian, Mark delighted in Italian food, Aperol spritzes, limoncello, affogato, and of course, fine Italian wines.
Mark was also a devoted wine aficionado and collector who spent many weekends exploring the wineries of Oregon’s Willamette Valley near his beloved family home and hazelnut farm in Yamhill. He appreciated good wine, good food, good music, and, most importantly, good company.
An avid reader and movie enthusiast, Mark possessed a wonderfully quirky sense of humor and a gift for finding joy in life’s unexpected moments. He was endlessly positive, thoughtful, caring, and generous. His kindness left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him. Time and again, friends, family, and acquaintances always share the same sentiment: “We love Mark SO much!”
When asked what he thought the other side might be like, Mark fondly referenced George Burns in the movie “Oh, God!” It brought him comfort and a smile and he really liked the idea of God with a cigar. We take comfort in imagining Mark now reunited with his beloved parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends who went before him. Knowing Mark, he has already set off on a grand adventure, discovering all the best places, people, food, and wine, and eagerly waiting to show the rest of us his favorites someday!
Mark is survived by his Aunt Kathy McDaniel, Aunt Jan McDaniel, Uncle George Kurtz, cousins Michael McDaniel, Susan McDaniel, Patti Thorn, Lynne Sanders, Debbie Perkinson, Terry Savage, Diane Brown, Jane Carlson LeFaive, Chuck Carlson, special friends Wendy Kuba and Sanford Kondo, along with many dear friends whose lives were forever enriched by his kindness, humor, and friendship.
Mark’s life was defined by the love he shared, the adventures he embraced, and the countless lives he touched. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
There will be a memorial open to the Reed Community in September, 2026. Details to follow soon.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in the memory of Mark may be made to: Friends of Hopewell House (hospice organization), 6171 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97239 and PEO Chapter FH (Philanthropic Education Organization), 2337 NW Jefferson Way, McMinnville, OR 97128.