Gary Allan McDaniel

Gary Allan McDaniel, 89, passed away at home with family by his side on Monday, November 16, 2020 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Gary was born October 14, 1931 in Enid, Oklahoma to William Taylor McDaniel and Gold Mae Bell McDaniel.

Gary graduated from Enid High School in 1949. He received a Naval Reserve Officer Training Scholarship which enabled him to attend the University of Oklahoma where he majored in geology. In 1951, he married his high school sweetheart, the late Elizabeth (Bettie) Vacin. During his junior year at the University of Oklahoma Gary opted for the U.S. Marine Corps as part of the N.R.O.T.C. program. Upon graduation in 1953 with a Bachelor of Science degree, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and sent to Quantico, Virginia for Officer's Training School. He was sent overseas to Japan where he was the Executive Officer of the Battery "C", 12th Marine Regiment, Third Marine Division. Gary was later stationed at the Marine Barracks U.S. Naval Station, Norfolk, Virginia as a Guard Officer and First Lieutenant. The three-year duty commitment having been satisfied, Gary resigned his commission in the U.S.M.C. and took a similar position in the U.S.M.C. Reserve until he resigned that position in 1962 with the rank of Captain.

The family returned to Norman and Gary re-entered the University of Oklahoma where he was a Graduate Assistant teaching Geology I laboratories. In 1959 he graduated with a Master of Science degree in geology and started his first job as a Geologist with Shell Oil Company in Ft Smith, Arkansas. For the next several years, Gary worked as a Geologist in the Arkoma Basin and Anadarko Basin for Skelly Oil Company and Midwest Oil Company, then as a District Geologist for Champlin Petroleum Company and Clark Canadian Exploration Company all in Oklahoma City. In 1974, Gary took a position with May Petroleum in Dallas as a Vice-President. A year later the family returned to Norman and for the next 20 years Gary officed in Oklahoma City as a Consultant Geologist. During this time, he generated, assembled and developed oil and gas prospects. At the same time, he served as an expert witness at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and in District Court throughout Oklahoma.

In 1987, Gary married the second love of his life, Linda LaMascus. They purchased a home in Vail, Colorado where they enjoyed spending a good part of their lives together, then the two moved permanently to the Phoenix area in 2006.

Gary's passion in his early days was scouting and the out of doors. He achieved scouting's highest rank - Eagle Scout with a Gold Palm. By the time he left for college he had spent two summers as a Ranger at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. While at the University of Oklahoma he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. During his graduate days he was a member of Pick & Hammer Club, Sigma Gamma Epsilon (honorary earth science fraternity) and Sigma Xi (science fraternity). He was awarded the E. L. McCollough Award as the outstanding graduate student in Sigma Gamma Epsilon. After graduating, Gary became active in politics, Chairman of Cleveland County Young Republicans, running campaigns for various local and statewide candidates, and organizing petition drives. As for his geologic profession, he was Editor of the Shale Shaker. He held offices in the Oklahoma City Geological Society as President in 1972-1973. He held various offices in the American Institute of Professional Geologists and rose to President of the Oklahoma section in 1980. He was also active in the American Association of Petroleum Geologists: Alternate Delegate to House of Delegates, Executive Council of Mid-Continent Sections, Chairman of the Public Information Committee; Chairman of Alumni Functions at the 1978 National Convention.

Gary is survived by his wife Linda of Phoenix, brother William and his spouse Sandy of Arlington, Texas, son Mark and his spouse Mandy of Colorado Springs, daughter Gari Lynn MacGregor of Edmond, daughter Dana Sittig and her spouse Todd of Edmond, son Lance McDaniel and his spouse Margaret of San Antonio, daughter Lisa Pickering Scott and her spouse Jordan of Flagstaff, eleven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Golda and William McDaniel.

Gary was a wonderful husband, brother, father, and friend who will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. Gary leaves you with this thought. “Have a nice life, I did.”

Memorial Service will be held on December 6, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at Dignity Memorial Surprise Funeral Care, Surprise, Arizona. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation of Oklahoma.