I feel privileged to write a tribute to Mark,
who was not only my brother , but a
close friend, and I can say without hesitation ,
one of the finest men I`ve ever known.
Born in 1955, he was the eldest of 9 brothers,
and 9 years older than myself,
so my memories of him are more of his
teen years and as a young man.
I always knew him to be a very down
to earth person, who liked to laugh and joke around ,
but with a genuine concern for others and someone
you could count on. Mark loved the outdoors, fishing,
hunting , camping etc, and earned a living working in
the woods, even after he chose to go into
the ministry, and left his home town to move
to Harcourt NB to start a church there.
Now because of his hard work and determination,
there stands a beautiful country church in that area.
Married , with four children, 2 boys , and twin girls,
Marks love for children led him to construct the
Whispering Pines Bible Camp, that touched the lives of
the many youth who attended there, over the course
of several years. His own children say he was
their favorite preacher and they watched him live what
he preached, I believe he left a lasting impression
on the lives of all who knew him. Mark
enjoyed health and quality of life for 37 years ,
until one Saturday afternoon in 1992, when he slipped
into a coma, and on Sunday morning with his
family and friends by his bedside singing
"Lord I`m Coming Home" we said goodbye.
Mark veiwed his life as "an opportunity to serve",
and he definitely fullfilled that calling, for those of you
who knew my brother, any stories you may have
to tell that celebrate his time he spent with us
will be appreciated.
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