Mark Edwards Obituary

In his words:

Mark Lee Edwards, born June 27, 1945. Eldest son of Hank and Martha Edwards. Brother to Mike Edwards, all deceased. Known for never giving up and trying to be the best he could be, failing often but meeting with some success. A favored uncle to his family. Lucky enough to be a father to four wonderful children- Patrick, Jason, Rachel and Clark who are following their passions and making a difference in the world. Luckier still to be a grandfather to Leo and Apollo. Married to Kathleen Morgan Edwards, the love of his life, after a long search with many detours. Without her love and companionship, life would have had little meaning.

On golden days

I often dreamed

of how it came to be

That such a lovely thing

would grow from such

A tiny seed.

Its branches spread so far,

as far as one could see.

To cover all with love

who touched the mighty tree.

And at its roots the loving two

Whose love did grow the tree.

That sprang from love.

My love for you.

Your love for me.

That's how it came to be.

M

Our words added to his words:

Our beloved husband, father, uncle, grandfather-"Big Daddy," friend, fellow human being, transitioned from this world on May 12, 2024, after an incredibly brave fight with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia and amyloidosis which ravished his kidneys. In his final days, Mark was surrounded by his loving family in his home. We are hopeful he was greeted by his parents, Martha and Hank, and brother, Michael, whom he missed terribly,

Mark is deeply missed by many and will always be remembered for his giving heart, indomitable spirit and energy, never ending passion and zest for life, witty sense of humor, love of water, nature and anything "fishy," his wisdom, his incredible intelligence, and most importantly, his love of his family and friends. And yes, his love of flight and flying airplanes. Whether full scale or remote controlled, Mark was born to be "in the clouds."

Mark holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Human Factors Engineering from Texas A&M University and worked in the field for over 50 years solving issues of human safety and mobility. Mark learned very early in life that he was passionate about making this world a better place than when he entered it. That passion manifested itself in a life long pursuit to improve the safety of motor vehicle travel. Mark's career efforts literally saved tens of thousands of lives. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Society of Automotive Engineers and the National Academy of Sciences have all recognized his contributions to his field.

I am most thankful Mark was a "dreamer" and that his life experiences brought him to me. I had the honor of being his raison d'etre for almost 22 years. May he rest in peace until we meet again.

A Celebration of Mark's life will be held for his family at Surreybrooke Gardens in Middletown, a place of peace and great beauty for Mark and Kathy.

Thank you to the DC Radio Control Club and all of Mark's friends at the club for all of the joy he has experienced "in the clouds" there in the last five years of his life.

A special thank you to Frederick Health Hospice for Mark's care and comfort in his final days of life. I will be forever grateful that the universe gave me a gentle nudge to complete hospice training in 2023. In addition to me, Mark, our entire family and numerous friends have benefitted from the training and reading I completed. I have a special place in my heart for the friendship, understanding and support I have received from Dianne E. and Laurie M. through Frederick Health Hospice. I hope to be able to repay them in some small way in the future.

Morgan-Edwards family motto

Far better it is to dare mighty things

To win glorious triumphs

Even though checkered by failure

Than to rank with those poor spirits

Who neither enjoy much nor suffer much

Because they live in the grey twilight

That knows not victory or defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

kme

Mark Edwards