Mark Allan Linsley

Mark Linsley was born on February 13, 1976 in Fremont, MI. He passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family on May 11, 2022. He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Adonna "Dusty" (Huismann) Linsley and their children, Tyler Linsley, Karson Huismann-Kent (fiance Abby Slot), Felicity Linsley, Cora Linsley, Alyeska Linsley and Hatcher Linsley; granddaughter, Kiyah Mae Linsley; grandmother, Gloria Linsley; father and mother, Duane and Dianne (McCombs) Linsley; sister, Amy (Wendell) Kauffman and their six children; sister, Mary Kay Linsley and her daughter. Mark is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Claire and Joan McCombs and Don Linsley.
Mark was a graduate of Newaygo High School and of Cornerstone University. He ran cross country and played basketball as a Golden Eagle while earning a BA in business. Most importantly, college gained him some of his best friends until this day. After college he went to Alaska and worked steel construction, commercial fished and even sold real estate before deciding to return to the lower 48 and obtain more flight certifications to be able to work in aviation in Alaska. When home he re-met his wife, Dusty Linsley and they were married shortly after. He did not return to Alaska but instead started a family and career here in west Michigan.
Mark loved his family and his church. One of his biggest highlights this past year was teaching the senior high Sunday school class and really pouring into them and seeing them grow in the word with a thirst to know Jesus more. He served in different positions at church but really enjoyed Chairman of the Board and leading our church to continue to grow and serve our community. He loves relationships and people! He loved serving alongside the other men of our church at Kent City Baptist and building relationships with them. He thoroughly enjoyed basketball and competed right up until his diagnosis in August bringing home a trophy where he competed with high school kids. He learned to fly an airplane very early in life and spent a tremendous amount of time at and on airports which led him to a career in aviation. He started his own business in 2001 at Sparta Airport teaching students to fly and after moving on from that he worked with the School of Missionary Aviation for some time. He later found himself at L3 in Grand Rapids working sales where he was able to fly different types of airplanes working all over the United States. He left there to start his own business again, Arise Aviation. He was a contract pilot and flew business jets for different companies and once commented "I can't believe they let me do this!" When he wasn't in the jet he was conducting check rides at local airports helping pilots obtain their pilots license and certifications as he was a designated Pilot Examiner for the FAA for 11 years, an accomplishment he was very proud of and worked hard to obtain.
He loved to watch his kids participate in athletic events. Cross country and track season brought on a sensation of excitement and nostalgia. He ran alongside those kids and could even be found bounding fences to catch them at the corner. All the kids not just his own. If you watched him during his daughter's dance performances you would see him tear up. She danced with beautiful emotion. He was a storytelling and teacher by nature and if he wasn't teaching he was telling. He is also an organ donor, giving his left kidney to his best friend's son. He did much of life with passion and humor. He was a leader.
August of 2021 when Mark experienced odd pain and was shortly after diagnosed with kidney cancer is his remaining kidney. The cancer had already left the kidney and was metastasizing in other areas of his body. Mark endured at-home hemo-dialysis 5 days a week and also received cancer treatments at UofM. He was never bitter or scared but he longed to remain here with his family and prayed for healing and a miracle. He knew the glory waiting for him with his savior but was willing to endure the pain here to see his kids marry and graduate. He didn't want to leave them. He wasn't afraid to die, he just wasn't ready. The cancer was aggressive and consumed him quickly and he is no longer suffering and is whole again. You can read and listen to more of Mark's story via his blog and his podcast, Walk With Us. It's important to him that as many people as possible know they can have an eternal life in heaven if they choose to know Jesus as their personal savior.
Visitation will be held on Monday, May 16th from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM at Kent City Baptist Church, 400 W. Muskegon St., Kent City. Mark's Funeral Service will be Tuesday, May 17th at 11 AM at the church. Visitation will take place one hour prior.
Donations can be made here to provide financial assistance to students who want to pursue missionary aviation. https://smat.edu/support-smat/