Mark Andrew Sherburn

Mark. Lefty. The Shark. Dad. Papa. So many names for a man that was loved by so many people. As was his spontaneous nature, Mark Andrew Sherburn, 63, of Lawton, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, surrounded by family and friends.

Mark was born December 17, 1961, in Paw Paw Michigan, the youngest son of Charles Duane and Mary Louise (Pachner) Sherburn. He grew up with a love of the outdoors, known for gallivanting through the woods and bringing wildlife home, whether it be as a pet or a hunting trophy for his grandma to cook up. He loved the outdoors from a young age. He also grew up with a love for sports – wrestling and football being two of his favorites. He had a bit of a penchant for bending the rules growing up, but, as his sisters and brother would attest, had a knack for using his mama’s baby boy card to get out of it. Of course, when he was asked, he really was trying save a turtle when he wrecked that car.

His childhood interests helped shape his adulthood. He was an avid deer hunter until the day he passed. Known to bring his kids out to the woods to hunt, even when they were young and he knew they couldn’t sit still or be quiet long enough to see anything come through. It was important to him to share those experiences with them.

He continued to love wrestling and football through adulthood, getting to share his experience and love for the sports with his children. He looked forward to every football game and every wrestling tournament and was there to cheer on his kids every chance he got. He shared his love of football with his family all his life, cheering on our beloved Lions and hoping against all odds for that ever-elusive Superbowl game. He spent any nice day he could on the golf course, at first with friends and then later in life with his wife and kids. “Why don’t we go golfing?” was not an uncommon phrase on the random Thursday afternoon.

He also had a love for anything with a motor. Boating in the summers, going for a ride with his wife on his Harley, and taking his kids and grandkids for rides on the snowmobile were common occurrences. He had even been chased by his mom while he went for a ride on a 4-wheeler around his brother’s yard at 40+ years old while she was shaking a meter stick at him for being on the 4-wheeler after having a beer. He enjoyed NASCAR racing, and would watch it every Sunday he had off, even if his eyes were closed and a slight snore could be heard coming from the couch – he was still listening to it.

Mark loved to have fun. He was known to take last minute vacations without the least bit of a plan in place. Whether it was going to Cedar Point, exploring caves in Kentucky, or attempting to navigate New York City, he did so with never a plan in mind but always fun to be had. “Why not?” was certainly a phrase he used often. He looked for any excuse to have a party and was always looking forward to a good pig roast. He was always a beating life of any party or get together. Mark could always be found with a beer in his hand, a light in his eyes, and a smile on his face. Throwing horseshoes, playing beer-pong; pool; bags; darts; or ping-pong, sliding onto tables for a photo-bomb, and doing flips into pools at 50+ years old with a sizeable beer belly, he was always ready to have a good time, make a splash, and bring so many smiles out in others while doing so.

He was a lover of music. From singing Bohemian Rhapsody in his truck to attending too many concerts to truly count with his wife and their friends, he shared his love of music with his loved ones. Life for him was about living in the moment and enjoying every second of it.

He was ever a tinkerer, always having some ongoing project or fixing something that wasn’t quite working right around the house, and could always be found fidgeting with something, whether it be rubbing a couple coins together or twirling a wrench on a pen. He worked at Refresco (Coca-Cola) as a mechanic and refrigeration technician since graduating from Paw Paw High School, able to do something he enjoyed and making so many wonderful friends while doing it.

Above all else, Mark loved his family dearly. He lived for those moments where he could spend time with his wife, children and grandchildren. Many times, recently, he had come through the door to be greeted by an exuberant “Papa!” shouted in delight by his grandchildren.

He is so very loved and, while his soul is at rest, his memory will live on through all of us that knew his smile, heard his laugh and felt his love.

He is survived by his soulmate, Donna Sue (Miller) Sherburn; children, Scott (Susie) Sherburn, Tiffany (Shane) Lott and T.J. (Maggie) Sherburn; grandchildren, Auryn Lott, Ryker Lott, Blake Sherburn, Lyam Sherburn, Luayela Lott and another baby girl on the way; siblings, Sandy (Tracy) Jack, Tammi Rayborn and Mike Sherburn. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Mary Sherburn.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Mark on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 1pm at the Paw Paw Eagles (address is 63237 M-40 Lawton, MI, 49065).