Obituary - Mark Duane Daniel

Mark Duane Daniel, 85, passed away of natural causes Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at the Missouri River Medical Center in Fort Benton, Montana.

Funeral Services will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 8, 2019, at the Benton Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Grant Harr officiating. A dessert fellowship will be held at the Community Bible Church Fellowship Hall immediately after the service and then continue on to Havre for burial at 2:00 p.m. at the Highland Cemetery.

Memorials in Mark's honor may be made to the Dedman Foundation, P.O. Box 1282, Fort Benton, Montana 59442; Missouri River Medical Center; or the charity of the donor's choice. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Benton Funeral Home.

Please visit Mark's online memorial page at http://www.bentonfh.com to leave a message of condolence for his family.

Mark was born in Havre, Montana, to George and Myrtle (Quamme) Daniel. He was raised in Havre and attended schools, graduating from Havre High School in 1952. He enlisted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and served in Korea, Czechoslova-kia and Germany. While in the military, he was a scout dog trainer. He was honorably discharged in November of 1955.

After the service, Mark returned to Havre and began work on the Great Northern Railroad, where he worked for a few years and then decided to go to work on the family farm 16 miles southwest of Havre. He married Elizabeth "Betty" Brese in Havre in May of 1980. He worked on the farm until 1981. He moved his family to Fort Benton in 1982, where they owned and operated Daniel Lanes, the bowling alley, for 11 years. The couple enjoyed their time operating the bowling alley and met many people over the years.

They sold the bowling alley in 1994 and then Mark went to work at the Chouteau County Fair Grounds as their caretaker, where he worked for seven years, retiring in 1999.

Mark enjoyed gardening and tending to his vegetables and flowers. He loved the outdoors: fishing, hunting, camping and the annual Daniel Family Paddle Fishing event. He loved animals and was one of the most gentle, kind and compassionate people you would ever meet. He never had an ill word to say or raise his voice to anyone.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepson Troy Estell in 2017; and his siblings Da Rienne Young, Robert G. Daniel, Gloria E. Chamberlain, and Lee A. Daniel.

Mark is survived by his wife of 39 years, Betty Daniel; his children Janell (Rich) Regennitter, Genie (Rodger Evans) Stone, Kari (Lane) West, Mark H. (Amy) Daniel, Shannon (David) Hadford, and Tara Li (Tony) Bush; siblings Arlene Brown and Joyce Tilleman; 17 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.