Mark Ellison Haney, age 74, of West Richland, Washington, passed away on Friday, November 14th, surrounded by his family.
Mark was born on December 4, 1950, at Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco, Washington. He was the second of seven children born to Gene and Shirley Haney. From an early age he learned the values of hard work, resilience, and loyalty that would shape his entire life.
A graduate of Kennewick High School, Class of 1969, Mark later enlisted in the Air Force and dedicated a portion of his life to military service. He was honorably discharged in 1974, a turning point in his life, as he stepped into the role of raising his two oldest children as a single father.
Mark later married Janice, and together they shared 47 years. Their marriage was built on dedication, loyalty, and a deep love for their family. Mark worked long hours throughout his life, starting as a teenager working on the L.W. Vail Ranch, working road construction with his father, and enduring 37 years at Boise Cascade Paper Mill in Wallula. At Boise he worked years of shift work as a chemical preparation operator, power operator, and laborer. Mark was known for his strong work ethic and steady reliability, going years without missing a day of work.
In 1987, Mark and Janice moved to five acres in Finley and spent many years there. Mark was driven by a deep desire to “live off the land,” even though the land did not make it easy for him. The property, known as “Windy Rock Acres” was his dream, but the soil was stubborn, packed with layers of rock that made every project a test of patience and strength. Never a complainer, he could be heard telling his children, “You’ve got to love the pain.” Mark poured his heart into raising cattle, pygmy goats, and chickens; as well as growing grass hay and alfalfa. It was a family effort, with Janice, the children and his ever-present father-in-law, George Brown, working by his side. At Windy Rock Acres, Mark could often be found bucking hay, moving irrigation lines, digging fence post holes, or walking the pasture, with his loyal dogs, Otis and Cody by his side. Those years in Finley, were among his happiest, filled with purpose, peace, and the quiet satisfaction of honest work.
When they were not working, Mark and Janice found joy in the simple pleasures they shared together. Some of their favorite memories were made during family vacations to the Tucannon, the Potholes, and Priest Lake; where days were spent fishing, swimming, skiing, and laughing with close family friends like the Cram’s and the Bentley’s.
Mark had a special relationship with his mother-in-law, Vida Brown. Mark adored Vida and the feeling was mutual. After leaving Finley, Mark and Janice moved to Richland to take care of Vida through the final years of her life. Mark took that role to heart, tending to her with patience, tenderness, and devotion. Caring for Vida was not a burden to him, but a blessing and one of the most meaningful acts of his life.
Mark and Janice later settled in West Richland, where Mark enjoyed living close to his children and grandchildren. His children were his pride and his grandchildren his joy. He could often be found traveling to baseball and softball games, cheering from the sidelines, helping his children with home projects, hosting sleepovers for his grandchildren or reading them stories from the Bible.
Mark was an avid reader, having read hundreds of books—until he discovered the internet. Once he did, he dove into hours of research on everything from political events to the latest conspiracy theories, always eager to discuss what he learned with anyone willing to listen. Mark also enjoyed settling in with a good movie, always with his signature toothpick tucked in the corner of his mouth.
Above all, Mark was a man of faith. As a Christian, he was steadfast in his belief that he would one day, spend eternity in heaven with our Lord. He prayed, read his Bible and the J. Vernon McGee Commentary every morning and openly shared his love for the Lord. His faith helped guide his life through all the ups and downs, and he took joy in helping his family develop their own personal relationships with God.
Mark is preceded in death by his parents, Gene and Shirley Haney, and his brothers Bruce, Sean, and Darin Haney. He is survived by his wife, Janice, his three sisters, Shannon (Dennis) Crater, Kelly (Steve) Bruggeman, and Kerry (John) Shaw, as well as his four children: Marcy (Arden) Anderson, Sean Haney, Josh (Morgan) Haney, and Katie (Jason) Engel; his eight grandchildren: Jared Griffin, Megan (Dillon) Hecock, Jordan Anderson, Jaxson and Wyatt Haney, Saige and Hunter Engel; and his three great-grandchildren, Kaden and Sawyer Hecock and Cain Griffin.
In his memory, lift a glass of McNaughton’s and keep the conversation lively by sharing your favorite conspiracy theory. It is a small tribute to the humor and character that made him uniquely Mark.