Public invited to joint memorial service Sunday for Bend twin brothers killed in Idaho plane crash

Hayden Homes Amphitheater memorial service for firefighter Daniel Harro, twin brother Mark Harro

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend Fire & Rescue announced plans on Tuesday for a public joint memorial service for twin brothers Mark and Daniel Harro, next Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend.

The brothers died on Monday, August 15 when their small plane crashed after taking off from the Johnson Creek airstrip near Yellow Pine, Idaho. They were the only two occupants of the aircraft, along with Daniel and Elisif’s dog, Cinder, who miraculously survived and is recovering at home in Bend.

Daniel and Mark were returning from a backcountry flying and camping trip when the crash occurred, the cause of which is still undetermined, Bend Fire officials said in Tuesday's statement, which continues in full below: 

Daniel Harro is survived by his wife, Elisif, and Mark Harro is survived by his wife Kelly. The Harro brothers are also survived by their parents, John and Denise Harro, and younger sister, Laura.

At the request of both families, the memorial will be a joint service for the brothers and will include a full fire service active duty death ceremony arranged by Bend Fire & Rescue, the Oregon Honor Guard and numerous other emergency service agencies. 

A public viewing for Daniel Harro will be held at Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home, 105 NW Irving Avenue in Bend, on Saturday, August 27, from 2-6 p.m. A private viewing for Mark Harro is scheduled for family members. 

The memorial service will begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the Hayden Homes Amphitheater, 344 SW Shevlin Hixon Drive. Members of the public, as well as members of the Oregon Fire Service are invited to attend. Attendees are encouraged to arrive at least 30 minutes early, due to the potential for traffic congestion and remote parking. 

Fire service personnel attending the service with fire apparatus are asked to RSVP with Tim Guest of the Bend Police Department (tguest@bendoregon.gov) to arrange for apparatus parking reservations as space is limited. Shevlin Hixon Drive will be closed to through traffic from 8 a.m. on Sunday until some time in the afternoon.

Parking for the public is available at no cost in the Old Mill District parking lots and the amphitheater can be accessed the footbridge in the Old Mill District. Attendees needing disabled parking may enter via Shevlin Hixon drive by displaying a valid disabled permit to parking attendants. 

A warm day is anticipated on Sunday, and there is no shade within the amphitheater. Attendees are encouraged to wear light clothing, hats or head coverings, or bring small umbrellas which will not obstruct the views of those behind them. Water bottles will be allowed into the venue and are encouraged to maintain hydration. 

Two GoFundMe accounts have been established to help support the families with mounting expenses during this time. If you would like to donate please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/daniel-harro and https://www.gofundme.com/f/mark-harro to leave your donation. 

There are also online memorials for the brothers, where visitors can share encouraging words, memories, and photos for the families. Visit https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/DanielHarro/ to visit Daniel Harro’s memorial page and https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/MarkHarro/ to visit Mark Harro’s page. 

Bend Fire & Rescue would like to extend their deep gratitude to the community of Bend for supporting our fire family during this difficult time, as well as to our neighboring central Oregon fire departments and others throughout the state who have offered their love, support, and assistance to us. Words can’t express our appreciation for your actions.