Danny Mack Lumley

Danny was festive and joyful with a charismatic laugh that was full of spirit. He loved people so much that he was always on the go, pursuing new adventures and ways to help people. He was a loving husband, father, brother, son, and friend, showing great kindness and God’s love to everyone he met.

Danny was born March 9, 1943, in Los Angeles, California, to Marvin and Mary Lumley. When he was a baby, his family returned to Arkansas City, Kansas, his hometown. He loved to ride his bike over the brick streets of Ark’ City. His young life was full of happiness and love in the home of his grandparents and later in the churches of Oklahoma and Missouri, where his father was a Nazarene minister.

In 1957, Danny moved to Oregon with his parents and younger brothers Kerry and Lyndol. He was a star football player for Phoenix and Willamina High School, where he graduated in 1961. He also played varsity basketball and held state track records in Oregon for the 220-yard dash and the 440-yard relay for many years. Linfield College honored him with a football scholarship and it was during a Linfield game that the famous Columbus Day Storm of October 12, 1962, made history.

After Linfield, Danny headed to Northwest Nazarene College in Idaho, where he made the friends who were by his side in his last days on Earth. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Education at NNC and began teaching at Clatskanie High School in the 1966/67 school year. He taught English and Journalism and also coached football and track. After Clatskanie, he taught and coached at Scappoose High School.

In 1966, Danny met Sheila Ann Denner of Eureka, Kansas, aboard the Portland Rose train, traveling from Kansas to Portland just before New Year’s Eve. Danny and Sheila married on April 14, 1967, in St. Helens, Oregon, at the St. Helens Nazarene Church. They were married for 47 years until his death. Danny loved Sheila very much and was very proud of their four daughters, Sherron, Shannon, Kerrilee and Kathryn.

While Danny taught school, he also drove a taxi at night, totaling his taxi the night his first daughter was born. His nights navigating the streets of Portland behind the wheel of Radio Cab # 3 became some of his funniest stories to tell, laughing at the bizarre and grand adventures of Portland by night in the 1960s and early 70s.

In 1971, Danny and Sheila bought a new home in Woodburn. Danny began working for Josten’s Yearbooks, traveling all over the state to every high school in Oregon. He knew every high school mascot and loved to talk to people about where they were from. In 1977, Danny became one of the top real estate agents in the state for Century 21 and he went on to earn his real estate broker license, leading many of the state’s top agents during an exciting boom time in Oregon. He loved being a part of helping people achieve their dreams.

His teaching career spanned more than 40 years, including a recent award in 2013 for 35 years of teaching at Portland Community College. He also founded and was President of the American College of Real Estate for 15 years, from 1995 to 2010.

Danny moved to Tigard with his family in 1978. He was President of the Tigard Optimist Club for many years, organizing the annual walk-a-thon to raise money for Tigard youth. He was a Tigard Booster and coached four decades of Tigard Little League teams, soccer teams, and basketball teams. He was the kind of coach that could make anyone and any team a winner, and he did!

He attended Beaverton Nazarene Church, where he taught Sunday school, was an usher and a board member. He also taught English as a Second Language through the church and supported missions.

Danny died following complications of open-heart surgery after a six-month sojourn in the hospital. He is survived by his wife Sheila Lumley; his daughters, Sherron Lumley, Shannon Lumley, Kerrilee Harold and Kathryn Cox; son-in-law Sam Harold, son-in-law Jesse Cox; granddaughters Ruby Lumley and Eliza Harold, his mother, Mary Lumley, his brothers Kerry Lumley and Lyndol Lumley, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and beloved friends.

The funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 9, 2014, at Beaverton Nazarene Church, 12555 SW 22nd St., Beaverton, Oregon, 97208, followed by a graveside service at Gibbs Cemetery, 17478 Northeast Leander Drive, Sherwood, Oregon 97140.