Okay, I’m reading this blog entry, thinking how beautiful you look and how sweet both John and Mark look at your wedding and then I get to the end and I’m in tears!

Oh gosh – definitely will be thinking about you all right now!

Hugs, Gail

Your post brought tears to my eyes as well. You wrote a beautiful tribute for Mark and his family. You have some beautiful memories that will be with you forever! Our sympathies go out to all of you.

I’m so glad I found your site tonight. Thank you for offering this tribute. I’ve had the honor of having had Mark in my life for nearly 30 years as one of my dearest friends. You’ve captured the essence of him. He lived with such compassion and the ability to love people unconditionally. He died with such grace. He leaves for you, Betsy, and me and all who read here the charge to love each other in the same way. You and I are both so lucky to have known him.

One of the memories we have is when my husband was in the hospital with cancer and wasn’t to make it through the weekend and good friends wanted to get married and Ken was to be there best man, they had asked me if I knew of someone that would marry them and knowing Connie for years and I met Mark through her I thought the perfect person was Mark, so I called him, I arranged for hime to marry them in ICU in my husbands room with the nurses looking on and Connie took video of the wedding. We still talk of that day. Those are Wonderful Memories that will live on forever. To add Mark came many days after that with coffee in hand and had coffee with my husband. I can’t thank him enough for doing that for him, he took the lonelyness out of the day for Ken. For that I will be always grateful that we had the honor of knowing hime and how he touched our lives.

Marks life was a miracle and he left the world a much better place. He was a wonderful person who touched innumerable numbers of people. I was blessed to have him as an uncle.

Mark was my Pastor and then, good friend, for over 35 years. His wonderful personality and unique ablility to share another’s burden was a treasure. Over the years, Mark was the one to whom I could turn in my pain and know that his wise spiritual counsel would bring peace to my soul. I will miss Mark greatly, but will look forward to seeing him again when I leave this realm.

What a lovely man we will all miss so very much! While Mark came to my Center for Loss as a student, he was also my teacher. He taught me about unconditional love, authenticity, immediacy and the power of caring for your friends and family. He would always talk about Connie every day he was here and you could see the love that reflected a soulmate connection that very few people ever come to discover. Yes, that is what I will always remember about this man—the deep and abiding love for his wife Connie that he wanted the world to know about. Mark–I miss your gentle spirit and life-force; you cared deeply and sincerely about anyone and everyone that crossed your path. Someone once said the shortest prayer is “Thank you”. So, I say to you my friend–Thank you for touching my life and reminding me to aspire to love well and live well. Your spirit is still with us in the foothills of Colorado and you will never be forgotten. Peace be with you.

I have known Mark from 1991. He helped me find the Lord and change my life. We became friends very quickly. I was at His and Connies wedding. What a loving woman he married. Mark has a gentelness and kindness that was with him anywhere he was. He also helped my family. He would stop in and visit my Mother once in a while as he had time. I have a fond memery of Mark from last spring when Mom and i took he and Connie a quart of fresh strawberrys.. I will miss him untill we meet again.

May our Lord Bless them both……….

I have known Mark for a long time. He has been there for our family for many years. He was truly a blessing to be around. He was so compasionate and loving. He also would help you put things in the right persepctive. How important that is in life and life’s journey. I pray for Connie and his family as they are left without him and will need strength to continue forward. Mark married my mom and second dad just a few years ago. My dad passed away and God brought someone special to my mom. To have Mark there was very wonderful. Mark also baptized my parents. Mark made a difference in my life in so many ways. I will miss him very much. Thank you God for allowing me to know him.

Connie, You and Mark were such a blessing to our family. Inviting my mother, myself and my brother, Bob, to use the pontoon boat several times, etc. Thank you for sharing your husband with us in so many ways. Especially your e-mail notes which tore at my heart. As you may or may not remember, our son had cancer with not much hope given by the Drs. He is a 5ys survivor and now has a 6mo. old baby. The Lord’s presence and peace be with you in these days and in the difficult months ahead.