Mark F. Wilson

Mark Fredrick Wilson, 68, passed away peacefully at his home on July 30th, after a hard-fought battle with inclusion body myositis. His loving wife of 44 years was by his side. They recently celebrated their wedding anniversary on July 26th.

Mark was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, on February 4, 1956, the son of Fredrick and Susie Wilson. He grew up in Country Club Hills and graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1974. A proud veteran, Mark served his country from 1975-1978 in the U.S. Marine Corps. Following his service, he graduated from Control Data Institute of Chicago Illinois with a concentration in Computer Science. He married Karen (Barnett) Kunes in 1980 and relocated their family to Tucson, AZ in 1989.

Mark was a dedicated and hard-working family man. During his early career Mark worked nights and weekends as a pharmacy technician to allow Karen to stay home with the children. Later he focused his career in Building Automation and Energy Management Services. He served as a controls technician for Johnson Controls and spent the remainder of his career employed as an HVAC Service Manager and Salesman at Climatec until his retirement in 2017. In addition to his successful career, Mark briefly followed his lifelong dream of working on the Union Pacific Railroad when his children were grown. Mark quickly learned that being a conductor was harder and less glamorous than the railroad engineer life he had dreamt about. However, the lesson he exemplified was that it is worth taking a risk in life, even if it doesn't work out the way you imagined.

Away from work, Mark enjoyed playing baseball, trap and skeet shooting, hunting birds, hiking with his family, riding his motorcycle, playing guitar and participating in softball leagues with his friends. In later years, he was an avid golfer who enjoyed teaching and sharing his skills with others. Mark, Karen and their children enjoyed many trips to Disney World where he coined the silly phrase "you can't pass gas without a fast pass" which was recited by the family for many years.

Mark was a lover of different genres of music but had a fondness for good ol' Rock 'n' Roll. Attending live concerts, plays, and watching the Chicago Cubs' games with friends and family, were also some of his favorite pastimes. He was a movie buff and could recite a line from one of his favorites at the drop of a hat.

Mark was a kind and loving husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, cousin and friend who would do anything for one and all. He will forever be remembered for his strong sense of humor, his orneriness and his ability to make everyone laugh, as well as his detailed stories and jokes. He was "honest to a tee," an all-around fun guy, and he was extremely committed to his wife, his two children, and his four grandchildren.

Mark was also a private man in many ways, including the sharing of his faith. He was chosen and accepted by God and a believer in his savior, Jesus Christ, and this was exemplified by his inner strength and tenacity in all that he did.

He is survived by his wife, Karen; his daughter, Lauren Wolken and her husband, Josh, of Prescott Valley; four grandchildren, Libbie and Clementine Wilson; and Nicholas and Joanna Wolken; his sister, Annette Dorney and her husband Dave; and his brother, Philip Wilson; as well as many cherished family members and lifelong friends.

He was predeceased by his father, Fredrick Wilson; his mother, Susie Wilson; and his beloved son, Daniel. The family would like to extend a special thank you to his caregivers and Catalina Hospice.

Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, August 31st, at 11 a.m. at Continental Baptist Church which is located at Coyote Trails Elementary School. 8000 N. Silverbell Rd., Marana, AZ.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Myositis Association by mail:

TMA, 6950 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 370, Columbia, MD 21046

Or online at: https://www.myositis.org/donate/