Darin  Mark

Obituary of Darin Lee Mark

Darin Lee Mark, 61, of Land O Lakes, Florida, passed away on September 30, 2022, after a 2-year battle with cancer.

He was born in Mesquite, Texas, on August 24, 1961, to the late William and Carolyn Mark. His family moved to Rockford, Illinois, where Darin grew up to play varsity football and eventually graduated from Guilford High School in 1979. On October 8, 1988, Darin married the love of his life, Jane Mark (nee Spencer), on what Darin would describe as the most important day of his life. The couple moved to Southwest Florida in 2013 to experience the sun’s warmth and the nearness of their children.

He is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Jane Mark; sons, Oliver Mark and Barrett (Ali) Mark; daughter, Chelsie (Pat) Metcalf; brothers, David Mark and Doug (Sally) Mark;  sister, Melissa Mark-Atkins; and grandchildren, Madison and Abbey Metcalf, and Dominick.

Everyone who knew Darin knew what it meant to have met a human hallmark card. He is the one person people could always count on to reach out during times of victory with a word of praise, and in tribulation, with love and compassion. Darin, or Papa, will be especially missed by his sweet granddaughters, whom he adored from the moment he saw them and with whom he cherished spending time. He was a huge fan of Florida Gators Football. He would always text the Mark family group chat, “Touchdown Gators,” whenever the Gators scored. He was never without his special polar pop Styrofoam cup, with his home-poured Coke Zero chilled to perfection. In his spare time, Darin spent precious moments traveling with Jane across the pond to Europe, visiting Barrett and Ali in Texas, or making surprise trips to Jacksonville to see his girls and Pat there. When he wasn’t traveling, Darin took great care of his yard, and valued being able to share the responsibility working together with Oliver. His hobbies included taking long walks with his dogs, Truman and Pippa, watching old-timey John Wayne flicks, or getting excited about the Hallmark Christmas movie season. Darin Mark sought out the innocent things in a world that is anything but. He remains a treasured possession of everyone who knew him because he always knew how to make them feel treasured.

 

Join Us, Friday 11/11, as we Celebrate the Life of Darin Mark When:

Friday, November 11, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Where: Lino’s Italian Restaurant, 5611 East State Street Rockford, IL 61108 Our family would love to invite everyone who knew Dad to Celebrate him on Friday, November 11, 2022, at Lino’s in Rockford, Illinois. We understand that dad knew people from all over the country that would make it if they could, but circumstances dictate otherwise. If you are not able to join us that Friday, we would still love to hear from you about what Darin meant to you. You can e-mail Barrett Mark at willmark1391@yahoo.com with stories about dad, prayers for our family, or ways that we can be praying for you as we carry on without our father, brother, and friend, Darin Mark.

Share Your Memory of
Darin