Dr. Clark McDaniel

Dr. McDaniel, age 83, passed away March 7, 2021 at Midland Memorial Hospital. He was born on April 1, 1937 in Chicago, IL and adopted at birth by Dr. Roy and Helen McDaniel.

Movie Character, Forrest Gump, once said “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

Doc’s life was a huge box of chocolates. As he described it “I have led a full life.”

In a school assignment, he described himself as being “very small and devilish.” However, he grew into shoes that are hard to fill. He excelled in all sports and other activities offered in the small town of Polo, IL where he grew up. He entered Knox College, Galesburg, IL on a basketball scholarship. He then transferred to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and then on to the University of Illinois School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. He joined his father’s medical practice in 1965 in his hometown of Polo. In Polo he was active in establishing the Polo Continental Manor nursing home, and also, Edgewood Golf Course.

He was drafted during the Vietnam War and served as head of Orthopedics at the Navy Hospital, Quantico Virginia. While there, he designed a special leg brace to help the incoming Marines from Vietnam. He was also the traveling team physician for the Quantico Marines Football team. His greatest memory with the team was meeting Roger Staubach who was also serving. He was discharged as a Lt. Commander of the Navy Medical Corp.