Arnal P. “Mac” McDaniel passed away on Oct. 16, 2008, peacefully at home in Coupeville with his wife and daughter Cindy at his side. Mac was born Dec. 3, 1929, in Woodward, Okla., to Ernest Lee and Ina Doris McDaniel. The family then moved to Grand Coulee, Wash., and then to Port Orchard. In his late teens, Mac went back to Oklahoma to help relatives after tornado damage. While in Oklahoma, Mac worked on the oil fields until he was old enough to enlist in the Navy. Upon enlisting in the Navy, Mac attended Hospital Corpsman training in California before going overseas to Korea. After the Korean War ended, Mac was stationed at NAS Hutchinson in Hutchinson, Kansas, where he met his life partner Helen. They were married on Aug. 4, 1956. Mac was stationed at U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay in the Philippines; USS Windham County in San Diego; Reserve Base in St. Louis; and Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina. Mac also did a 13 month tour in Vietnam before retiring from the U.S. Navy in February 1968.

Mac then rejoined Helen and his three daughters on Whidbey Island. He worked for the Sherman Turkey Farm and then the Ford Garage in Oak Harbor, where Mac retired for the second time, after 20 years, in 1991. During this time, Mac volunteered as a Scout Master for the Coupeville Boy Scout Troop and assisted the local Girl Scout Troop. Mac also was involved with the local 4-H Dog Club and was always there if someone ever needed help. The last project Mac was assisting with, before his illness, was building a new church, the Centerpoint Christian Fellowship, Coupeville. Mac will always be remembered for his positive outlook on life and his sense of humor.

Mac is survived by Helen, his wife of 52 years, and three daughters, Debbie and husband Michael Rowand of Redmond; Sherrie and husband Howard Bledsoe of Coupeville; and Cindy and husband Jim Clark of Virginia Beach, Va. Mac has two grandsons, three granddaughters and one great-grandson. He is also survived by one sister, Dora Lee Rexrode of Viera, Fla., and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Mac requested that donations be made to the Centerpoint Christian Fellowship, Pastor Michael Coleburn, P.O. Box 1318, Coupeville, WA 98239. A Celebration of Life will be held for Mac at a later date, and will be announced in this paper, as well as online. Arrangements are with the assistance of Whidbey Memorial Funeral and Cremation Service, Inc., Oak Harbor. Family and friends are encouraged to sign the online guest register at www.whidbeymemorial.com.