Mark and I met in DC playing Ultimate. We stayed in touch after he moved and met several times in various locales (Miami for Phish NYE, Sacramento, etc.). I was just in Sacramento on business and happened to stay near where Mark used to have an apartment. As I walked around, I recalled so many wonderful memories of our time there- playing disc by an old fort, walking around the capitol, various restaurants. I think of Mark often but he was all I could think about while I was out there. Mark, I miss you a ton and would do most anything to hang out with you again.

Miss you, dude.

John

I am Mark’s Aunt Phyllis. Remembering you Mark is something I do almost every day.  You have been a part of my life since you were two years old and will always be in my thoughts.  At the age of three, you were in my wedding.  I have never seen so much energy in one child, the photographer finally just had to start taking pictures because we realized that getting you to be still was not going to happen that night.  I look back at those photos and all of the ones that I have of you, remembering what a joy you always brought to our family.  I have a lot of memories of you, Mark, I guess the last memory was the smile you gave me at Harley’s wedding as I turned back to see the church full of guests.  Your smile said to me: “Aunt Phyllis, I’ve missed you, I love you and I always will and everything is going to be okay”.  Thank you Mark for your reassurances and for continuing to be a part of my life.  I see you so much in my grandson, Max, which has your personality and looks.  The little mischeivous things he does while still smiling, knowing that he can get by with it.  Yes, Mark, you will always live on in the lives you have touched and we will never forget you.  I love you so much.  Aunt Phyllis

     Where do you begin to talk about someone you feel was taken too quickly from us?  I have sat down many times and read the stories posted by everyone else and could never figure out how to post my own thoughts or story so today I called my mom, played around with the computer and here I am…I feel it is Mark telling me to write.

     I can’t write about one specific event, that would take many pages and a lifetime.  I just want to thank Mark’s parents for raising such a wonderful son.  I never told Mark how much he meant to me or how much I appreciated all the little things that he did to make me feel special.

     Mark taught me how to ride his horse PePe. I think that was the only time I wasn’t scared on a horse. (I did fall off the horse the day before I was to fly to Germany with my mom and brother to meet my dad who was in the Army.  Got a concusion!) 

     Mark took me to a play.  I don’t remember all the details but I know we were at an age when other people could tease him about being out with his cousin.  Mark didn’t care though.  I remember laughing which was something Mark could always make you do.

     Mark invited me over to dinner with him, Aunt Ina and Uncle Jerry when I was home visiting before I went to live in Scotland.  He cooed at my baby girl-Amanda.  She is now approaching her 21st birthday.  Can’t believe it was so long ago!

     Mark loved and you always knew you were loved by Mark.  There are hugs and there were Mark hugs.  You know the ones I mean…The big long bear hugs, complete with the pats on the back and the I love you said.

     On of my biggest regrets in life is not letting our wonderful family know how much they mean to me.  I have always lived far away and don’t make it home often.  I want you all to know I love you even when you can’t hear me say it.  I think of you daily even though you don’t see me.  Life is short.  Mark’s life was way too short but boy did he live it to the fullest and he made sure he spread joy while living it.  Take away that lesson from Mark…Live life to the fullest and make sure you spread joy and smiles along the way!!

It’s now December, 2007.  This is the time of year when we really think of family and friends more than any other time of the year.  I am Mark’s Aunt Betty, his mom’s oldest sister.  We are a retired military family:  Aunt Betty, Uncle Don, Donald, and Janet.  Home for us was where ever we happened to be stationed.  When Mark and Joey and our children were growing up, there were many years when we were only able to see them at one special time of the year: Christmas.  One thing we will always remember about Mark…he did love his family.  A close second love was the good food.  My goodness!  He did love food!!!

While stationed in Colorado,  all of my family came to visit-My sisters, brother AND their families.(also nanny)  Books could be written about some of the cousin adventures, but I will leave that to them.

When Mark returned to his physical home- in Alabama, our family was able to spend more quality time with Mark than we had in many years.  We really became reacquainted with Mark:  We ate.  He and Donald spent time doing things they had not done in years.  Donald’s family was able to spend more time with him.  Mark and Don replaced most of our front deck.  They were going to finish a few days later(that time never came).  Our grandson, Saxon, plays baseball.  Mark was really into Saxon and his baseball.  He looked forward to those baseball games. Just hours before his accident, he was at a baseball game with us, along with my sister, Jane and husband Dewey.  After the game we all talked with Saxon and his dad.  We all talked about the future.  Mark was so excited!  He started his job with the Alabama Land Trust the next day.  He could hardly keep his feet planted on the ground he was so excited.

Sometimes, we ask:”Why?”  We don’t understand.  We will never understand.  There are those of us who have lived a full life.  Then there was Mark who had so much more to accomplish.  Our only reassurance is that God knows.  He has His perfect plan.  Live each day as though it is your last.  We loved Mark and miss him VERY much.  Our prayers are for Ina, Jerry, and Joey.

Here’s Mark in Sacramento with one of his Shulbok tables.

I have so much to say and I do not know where to start.  Mark was always my super hero crush boy!  He loved life.  He experienced all that he could and he did so with love and zest. 

I went to high school with Mark ~~ he drove a blue jeep and I would always get excited when Daniel White and I would see him at Windsors.  Mark kept in touch with me through the years and we shared some very good times.  I have photos from the 1980’s, and one from 2004 floating around somewhere, that would make you all smile ~

 I am grieved that I was unable to attend the service celebrating Marks life.  He is an incredible man and I am so very sorry that he is no longer with us.

I was in Sacramento for work with my friend Amanda and Mark had us over to the house to check out his boat.  He owned it with a buddy, and kept it out next to his house on the Sacramento River.  This thing was a 1973 outboard, huge engine, stearing cable held together with a c-clamp.  He loved it.  We went for a nice long cruise up the river and then floated it back down to his house.  It was a great day. 

Back in Winter of 2005, Mark and I met in Jackson Hole, WY to do some catching up. Here we are with the Continental Divide in the background. We hammered on the snow mobiles all day long. By sunset, we had become disengaged from our group and were riding alone. Both riding on empty, miles ahead of us and about 10 degrees outside, we rode out on some type of snow covered field as I recall….wide open in all directions. We decided we were through racing each other for the day, so we shut down the ATVs, split a Red Bull, and gazed out at the beauty around us…….breathless I recall, speechless for sure……we had one of those good moments together just the two of us watching the sky fade from blue to black. Though neither one of us mentioned it, we both knew the odds of returning to that place again were slim…….. we just sat quietly and soaked it in for a little while…then called it a day. I miss you bro. Thanks for the good times.