Mark D. Lawrence

Lawrence, Mark D. ALBANY Mark D. Lawrence, aka Shack, passed away on October 31, 2007 after a courageous battle against mesothelioma. Family man, friend, sports fan, rock-and-roller, and humanitarian, he inspired those around him for 48 years with his unique lust for life. Mark was the husband of Jennifer Lawrence (Keenan), whom he called the love of his life. He was the father and best buddy of "his guys," Connor and Mackenzie. He was the son of Jo Dewey (Roy) Stewart of Bemus Point, N.Y. and Bruce (June) Lawrence of Lakeland, Fla.; his siblings, Rick (Deb Colt) of Holland, Mass., Kelley Howe of Branford, Conn., Michael (Dee) Lawrence of Burnt Hills, N.Y., Maija Lawrence of Lakeland, Fla., and Krista Lawrence of Salt Lake City, Utah, will miss him, along with several nieces and nephews. He was also a great friend and supporter of Jennifer's daughters, Daria and Angelica Gagliardi of West Sand Lake. Across the county are numerous aunts, uncles and Dewey Family cousins who will miss him as well. Mark characterized life as a journey; he began his in Jacksonville, Fla. in 1959. His family moved around the Northeast several times, finally settling in Delmar in 1971. Mark attended public schools wherever he lived and played on several sports teams up through high school, with basketball a lifelong favorite. He was graduated from Bethlehem Central High School in 1977, moving on to Siena College. At this time, Mark took a chance and moved to "the big city" of Albany, supporting himself by working full-time at CSEA and attending college full-time. At Siena, Mark felt he came into his own, becoming a campus DJ and also playing on the last JV men's basketball team for two years. After that, he was the color announcer for the basketball team, continuing to support the Saints with his unique athletic enthusiasm. But single life in downtown Albany really brought Mark out of his self-described suburban shell, especially when he joined the Lark Street music scene. He fronted several punk rock bands as "lead screamer," moving on to becoming DJ at downtown clubs throughout the 1980's. He had also been an avid competitive runner and was a longtime member of the Hudson-Mohawk Road Runners Club. After college, Mark moved up the corporate ladder at CSEA where he worked for 16 years. Always one to look for new challenges, he left the security of a longtime employer to become owner-operator of a Manhattan Bagel Shoppe franchise. While the business ended after six years, Mark considered it a good life lesson. He eventually found his way to Citizens Communications, a phone company in Johnstown, where he worked the last 8 years as human resources manager. Mark was a friend to many, a business colleague to numerous others, a devoted father to his guys, and a partner to Jennifer whom he met in 2001. He truly believed in helping others not just in thought - he was a Big Brother for several years and a bone marrow donor in 1994. Then, in November of 2005, his life journey took an unusual path he always said he never expected to be on, with the diagnosis of a rare and almost certainly fatal cancer. Recovering from the unexpected news, he faced treatment with the same positive attitude his family and friends all knew him to possess. He came through major surgery, battled his way through several metastases, and coped with new chemotherapies, all with dignity, charm and courage that astounded and inspired those around him. He was Mr. Congeniality at the infusion unit of NY Oncology & Hematology (Albany Med) and the face of Gilda's Club of Northeastern N.Y., helping to spread the message of living with cancer through their support. The essence of him remained to the very end: sparkling blue eyes, a smile on his face, and a positive attitude that life is worth living. "That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet."-Emily Dickinson At Mark's request, he will be cremated; there will be no religious observances. Jennifer, the boys, and the rest of the family will host a celebration of Mark's life on April 26-27, 2008, including a 5K run to benefit Gilda's Club. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Mark "Shack" Lawrence go to Gilda's Club/Capital Region New York, One Penny Lane, Latham, NY 12110; Community Hospice of Albany County, 445 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205; or any charity which promotes our Superman's ideals of truth, justice and a slightly subversive, but always respectful, American way. Jennifer would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the caring staff of NYOH, especially Dr. F.W. Nugent, for their personal care of Mark every step of the way. Jennifer and Mark's mom Jo would also like to thank Community Hospice staff for their support throughout the past few days, especially Terry Clark, R.N.