Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Mark L. McDaniel, 65, of Durham, passed away at his home with his family by his side, on Veterans Day, Monday, November 11, 2019. Mark was born in Cabarrus County to Donald Lewis McDaniel and Floranne Clodfelter McDaniel. Mark was a member of Boy Scout Troop 413 at Milford Hills United Methodist Church in Salisbury, where he earned his Eagle Scout badge. Mark graduated from West Rowan High School, where he lettered in baseball, basketball, and football; and was co-captain of the football team. He met his wife-to-be when they both had summer jobs at the Salisbury YMCA's Camp Eagle Feather. Mark was "Campy"; Pam was "Mother Nature." In 1977, Mark graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, and became an operating room nurse at Charlotte Memorial Hospital. A year later, Mark decided to join the United States Air Force. While in the Air Force, Mark earned his Master's degree in Management. He served 22 1/2 years, including with the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing Air Transportable Hospital in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Mark was awarded a number of medals during his career, including the Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement during that first Gulf War. After retiring from the military, Mark continued to serve his country by helping to take care of military veterans at the Richmond VA and then the Durham VA, where he became Operating Room Nurse Manager before retiring again. Mark enjoyed playing golf, especially in the National Retired Military Golf Classic and the Veterans Golf Classic tournaments in Myrtle Beach. He was a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees baseball team; and even more so a UNC Tar Heel fan, especially during basketball season.