V. Mark Havel 1956 - 2023

Victor Mark Havel, a.k.a. Mark Havel or “Forest Dan," was working, mentoring and philosophizing in the woods on the morning that he died. He was 67 years old.

Mark spent his childhood in Minnesota and in Oregon, then traveled extensively for work and for play. He always returned to his Shangri-La, the family property in the Gold Creek Valley, near Willamina, Oregon. This is where Mark, wife Loree, and children, Ross and Liška, built a home and stewarded a family forest and family businesses.

Mark was enthusiastic and joyful about challenges and hard work. He thrived on pushing himself--physically, creatively and intellectually. Dubbed “the Energizer Bunny” and “Renaissance Man” by friends, Mark had diverse interests and talents and proudly wore many hats besides his iconic fedoras. Athlete, poet, engineer (OSU 1980), artist, educator, inventor, entrepreneur, forest steward, family man, and occasional curmudgeon/old fart start, but don’t complete, the list of Mark’s titles and passions.

We all knew we could count on Mark for: help and guidance, leadership, inappropriate jokes, off-key but exuberant fiddle-playing and food. Mark loved to garden, cook (breakfasts!!), bake, eat and share the bounty with others.

Mark encouraged us to navigate life like we were skiing mountain terrain: “Look for the line, catch air when you can, and remember to bend zee knees when you land. Oh, and always, always, be on the lookout for the beautiful and the wondrous."

Mark is mourned by Loree (wife); Liška (daughter); Will (son-in-law); Roscoe and Boden (grandsons); Sylva (sister); Tim (brother-in-law); Mali the Loyal Dog; and many more family, friends and colleagues. His parents, Ladislav and Vlasta, and son, Ross, preceded Mark in death.

To honor his memory, Mark would urge you to plant trees, perform unexpected acts of kindness and/or donate time or money to Hopkins Demonstration Forest: https://demonstrationforest.org/donate/

A remembrance and story-sharing event date is yet to be determined.