Mark Frank Moening, 77, died at his home in Portland, Oregon, June 19, 2024.
Mark, the son of Albert and Alvina Moening, grew up on the family farm in Melrose where he was one of eight children. Farm life taught him to work hard, a trait he carried with him all his life.
After serving four years in the Air Force, including a year in Vietnam, Mark returned to school, graduating summa cum laude from UCLA in mechanical engineering. He followed that up with a master’s degree and went on to a successful career in automation engineering.
For 35 years, Mark and his wife, Kathleen, have lived in Oregon, where they raised their daughter, Kate. Mark loved the mountains and when not working, spent his weekends at his cabin close to Mount Hood in the Oregon Cascades. Never sitting still for long, he would often ski or hike all day, then go out again after dinner for a final jaunt.
Mark’s loved ones remember his dry sense of humor and encyclopedic memory for dialogue from his favorite movies. He also enjoyed golf, woodworking and Willie Nelson. When driving his daughter Kate to preschool many years ago, he would call out to her in the back seat, “Who’s your favorite singer, Katie?” Then he would smile as he heard a small, enthusiastic voice reply, “Willie Nelson.”
Mark is survived by his wife, Kathy; daughter Kate; son-in-law Zach Orner, who all reside in Portland; his brothers- and sisters-in-law, Bill and Joan Moening of Blaine and Bud and Pat Moening of Grey Eagle; his sister- and brother-in-law, JoAnn and Steve Twenge of San Diego; and many nieces and nephews.
He will be deeply missed.
