Mark Andrew Van Doren

Mark Andrew Van Doren passed away Thursday, March 23, 2023, at the age of 64 in front of his office in the Heights with his best friend and dog, Jessie, by his side. Mark suffered a heart attack due to complications with a blood disorder he fought for almost two decades.

Mark was born Sept. 22, 1958, in Fort Benning, Georgia, to Kenneth and Patricia Van Doren. The family moved around the United States much of Mark’s early childhood, but eventually settled in Houston, where Mark spent the rest of his life. He graduated from Memorial High School and attended the University of Houston before beginning his career as a building designer.

Finding his way to the Heights in 1992, Mark always joked he never left. He built a successful design firm, APD, on White Oak Drive and later moved it to Heights Boulevard. His work is found throughout the neighborhood, even stretching into other cities and states.

He became a staple of the Heights community for the 30 years he lived and worked there, making his impression on not only the local architecture but also the people. His selflessness was felt frequently with his eagerness to help in any way he could for the ones he loved.

Mark married Elizabeth Ann Dalheim on March 5, 2000, and welcomed his only child, Kenneth, who he named after his late father and late older brother, on his 42nd birthday that year. Mark spent the last two decades involved in youth athletics, dedicating much of his free time to coaching his son’s baseball and football teams.

Following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Mark found a passion for fostering dogs through the Greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue. While raising three of his own — Katy, Max and Stanley — he spent the next six years of his life finding homes for nearly 100 dogs in the Houston area. He later adopted two of his own fosters, Jessie and Edie Beth, before adding Bubba to his family in March 2021.

Mark is survived by his wife, his son, his younger brother, Christopher (Suzanne), his mother, his nieces and nephews and the extended Dalheim family. He’s remembered for helping others more than himself, including anyone without family for his Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners. He was also a friend of Bill W for over 30 years.

Mark will be remembered a friend to many, even though he never wanted to admit it. The Greater Houston German Shepherd Rescue is accepting donations in Mark’s name at www.ghgsdr.org.

A memorial service for Mark will be held Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 2:00 PM at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Fwy, Houston, Texas 77079.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialoaksfunerals.com for the Van Doren family.