Dorin S. Daniels, MD
“Doctor D”
Sept. 23, 1927 ~Jan. 30, 2022
Dorin Slater Daniels, MD passed away Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, with his family in attendance. He was born on Sept. 23, 1927, in Madison, Wisconsin. His parents were Farrington Sr. and Olive Bell Daniels. He joined an older brother, Farrington Jr., and two sisters, Florence and Miriam.
His father was a University of Wisconsin professor in physical chemistry and he grew up listening to the ideas of the scientists at the time. He went through high school in three years so he could join the Navy during World War II, and served as a Corpsman. After the war ended he went to Oberlin College. When he graduated there, he took a job at the Oakridge Atomic Lab which took him to the island of Enewetak Atoll, where he was involved in experiments testing the effects of atomic bomb radiation.
He met his wife, Kathryn (Toddy) Meyer Daniels while working at Oakridge. They were married in Knoxville, TN, and were married for over 50 years. They had four children: Don, Alan, Kathryn, and DeWilda. When that job was over he was accepted to the University of Chicago School of Medicine. He spent the last six months of his college working as a surgeon for a doctor in a TB clinic who had arthritis in his hands so badly that he could no longer do surgery. He did his internship and residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon. He started his medical practice in Vale in 1958. His office was above Kessler Chevolet in Vale.
After several years he realized he needed to be closer to the hospital and moved his family to Ontario, where he continued practicing. He delivered over 3,500 babies in his career. He received many honors in his career including being the Oregon Doctor of the Year in 1983 and receiving the President’s Award for Outstanding Service in 1993. He retired in 1994 and continued as a Locum Tenens in several places. He and his wife also went on several Elderhostel trips.
He became involved in the Malheur Country Historical Society. He was president, was very involved in getting the Historical Society’s books updated, and he helped videotape a lot of personal histories in the area and did a lot of the editing. He was also involved in the Kiwanis, helping out wherever he could and taking pictures. He was the Winter Wonderland Grand Marshal in December 2009 and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year in January 2015.
He thoroughly enjoyed watching his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids grow up. He is survived by his sons, Don (Terry) Evergreen, Colorado, and Alan (Linda) Ontario; daughters Kathryn Judson, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and DeWilda Daniels, Ontario; grandchildren, Mike (Becky), West Haven, Utah: Brian (Chika), West Point, Utah; Randy (LeaAnn), Ontario; Kelly (Linzy), Lochbuie, Colorado; Jennifer, Crested Butte, Colorado; and 12 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, brother and sisters, and his wife. His Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, Feb. 5, at 10 a.m. at the Butte Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Malheur Country Historical Society at PO Box 691, Ontario, Oregon 97914.