Daniel Mansfield

In Loving Memory of

Daniel Patrick Mansfield

This is dedicated to and in loving memory of Daniel Patrick Mansfield. As we mourn his loss, let us also celebrate the joyful and vibrant life he lived, and the impact he made on all of us. His defining legacy is that of a loving husband, son, brother, uncle, nephew, friend and documentarian for the entire community.

He was born on October 24, 1960 to his parents, Regina Mansfield and Assefa Araya, in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. He came into this world as the beloved younger brother to Aida Mansfield and Terefe Araya. In 1964 he was adopted by his father, Dr. Patrick Mansfield, in the joining of Regina Mansfield and Dr. Patrick Mansfield. As Regina and Patrick were building a home for their family in the States, Danny and Aida were in Asmara, Eritrea with their beloved grandmother – Teka Tesfai. Daniel attended Comboni as well as La Salle in Asmara, and was a gifted child blessed with many artistic capabilities that he would hone over the years and later turn into his bread and butter. While in Asmara, he would paint and photograph the atrocities of the war. This is where his artistic journey truly began.

Upon the death of their grandmother, Danny and Aida moved to the DC area in 1979 to be with their mother and father. He attended high school in PG County and went on to University of Maryland, Baltimore’s School of the Arts. There he sharpened his creative tools as a painter, sculptor, photographer and filmmaker – pursuing what he loved most. He received his degree in movie animation in 1988.

Over the course of his adult years he went on to put that degree to work as a creative entrepreneur. His first and most important piece was a documentary on Eritrea after the war. The images were displayed in an exhibition at the consulate in Asmara. He continued on to utilize his photography and videography to document the entire DMV area and beyond – from the White House to apartment guides to establishments. He highlighted all of the joyous moments in our greater community – from festivals, weddings, graduations, baptisms and more. Touching families beyond his own and leaving his signature in the sand, as well as his prints. He lived life on his own terms as his own boss, and always in style.

In 2004, he met his loving wife Salem Asres and went on to get married in 2007. They built a beautiful life of over 20 years together, residing in Bethesda, MD. They celebrated milestones, grieved losses, immersed themselves in each other’s families and most importantly – made space for each other’s inner child to roam free together. He loved Salem dearly until his final moments.

Daniel passed away on the morning of August 11th. He is survived by his wife, mother, sister, brother, aunt Mary, uncle MacLeod, the entire Mansfield family, cousins, many friends, works of art and his legacy lives on through his nephew, Robel Terefe, and nieces Sonya Teclai, Semona Teclai, Melena Teclai, Martha Terefe, Samrawit Terefe, Meron Terefe, Redeat Terefe, their children and his godchildren – Nadia, Isabelle and Abel.