Mark William Stanhope

Mark was born in Seattle Washington to his parents, Mack Stanhope and Marilyn Whited. He grew up with an enthusiasm for animals and took every chance he got to raise pets and make sure every animal got the care that it needed to survive. Starting in childhood, he raised ducks, dogs, cats, and a parrot, and made sure that all of their needs were met.

As he got older, he decided that without a question, he wanted to be a veterinarian. After getting an undergraduate degree at Seattle University, he applied to the competitive veterinary program at Washington State University. After seven years of trying to get into the program and working as a veterinary technician at the University of Washington’s primate center, he was accepted and could move forward in his career.

During his time at Seattle University, he met his future wife, Annette. She was studying to get an English degree and he was working on his chemistry requirements, so the chances of them crossing paths was slim, but the second he met her he knew it was meant to be. He made any and all efforts to see her despite their different schedules. After a few weeks, they began dating. They married several years later after he completed veterinary school.

In 2003, Mark graduated veterinary school and obtained his DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) degree. He applied to various job opportunities in the Pacific Northwest and eventually landed at St. Francis Veterinary Hospital in Vancouver, Washington. He ended up working there for the next twenty years. Throughout his time as a vet, he collected a large variety of pets that he and Annette took care of. Over the years they cared for dogs, cats, snakes, lizards, chickens, ducks, pigeons, doves and rabbits. He made sure that each pet was cared for based on their particular needs.

Mark was good with communicating with children who brought their pets into the office. He made sure to communicate pet care in ways that they would understand. In sad situations where the discussion of euthanasia came up, Dr. Stanhope frequently took it upon himself to talk to children. He made sure that they were educated on the process, and he emotionally supported them through the situation. Dr. Stanhope was also a master when it came to orthopedic surgery in pets. He enjoyed his time in the operating room and had a passion for fixing anything that was broken.

In his spare time outside of work, he had many hobbies including handcrafting knives, watching old movies, researching old firearms, cooking, and gardening. He enjoyed spending time with his family with a glass of wine in his hand and a home cooked meal in front of him.

Despite being a master of many crafts, his biggest passion in life was being a dad. His daughter, Leela Stanhope, was the highlight of his life. He was very proud of her artistic talent and her attention to detail. He loved spending time with her and watching her grow in her talents. His love for his wife and his daughter was unconditional, and he made sure they were always a priority in his life regardless of how busy he was.

Mark William Stanhope will forever be missed by his family, friends, and associates. He is survived by his wife, Annette Stanhope, his daughter, Leela Stanhope, his mother, Marilyn Whited, his siblings, Laura, Kenney, and Mason Stanhope, his nephews, Sean Kenney and Patrick Stanhope, and his niece, Melissa Kenney.