Mark Stephen Utter

Mark S. Utter, 59, of Colchester, Vermont, passed away peacefully on October 28, 2024, at the McClure Miller Respite House, surrounded by his family, after a courageous battle with prostate cancer.
Mark was predeceased by his father, Kenneth Utter; his mother, Rollande Utter; and his brother, Arnold Utter. He is survived by his sister, Sheryl Vuley, her husband, Mark Vuley, and their two daughters, Meagan and Taylor Vuley, as well as Taylor's son, Greyson Vuley. Mark also leaves behind his brother, Edmund Utter, and Edmund's children, Emily and Brent Utter; his brother, Duane Utter, and Duane's fiancée, Diane Hayden, along with Duane's children, Bryan and Alexis Utter, and Alexis's daughter, Emma Griffith. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Mark is also survived by several close friends who became like family, including Emily Anderson, Thomas Caswell, Andrew Rea, and Emmanuel and Francoise, who cared for him during his final months. Mark held a special place for what he considered his "adopted sisters": Julie Elkins, Jennifer Sweeny-Frances, Charlene Godin, Diane LeClaire, and Debra Thurston West. A dear friend, Kenny Bailey, affectionately known as "Dude," also shared a unique bond with him.
Mark found joy in many things and was known for his love of Al's French Frys, animals, boat rides, singing, dancing at parties, and being on the water. He took great pride in his work as a dedicated and exuberant dishwasher for Sodexo at Champlain College for many years. Mark also enjoyed bowling, painting with G.R.A.C.E. Arts, participating in the Special Olympics, and his advocacy work with Champlain Voices and Green Mountain Self Advocates.
Mark was an Autistic man who communicated by typing, using a form known as Facilitated Communication. He was passionate about writing and valued meaningful ways of connecting with others. As an inspirational speaker, Mark made a lasting impact on those around him, sharing his perspective and fostering understanding. When he decided to share his experiences and the challenges he faced with communication, he reached out to Emily Anderson from Awareness Theater, who was trained in Facilitated Communication, to support his efforts. This collaboration grew into a transformative film project that brought together a community of long-time friends and new supporters who contributed funding, advice, resources, locations, and even performed in the movie. The result was the award-winning film I Am in Here: A View of My Daily Life with Good Suggestions from My Intelligent Mind.
Mark went on to hold hundreds of screenings of the film, at cinemas, universities, and cultural centers throughout the Northeastern U.S., each followed by thoughtful Q&A sessions with the audience. He also created a short television talk show series called The Uttering Mind at CCTV, started his beloved blog Utter Communication Strategies, and attended numerous communication conferences. Through these projects, he connected with people from far beyond Vermont. Mark even became the first-and perhaps only-person to officiate a wedding using Facilitated Communication, with longtime communication advocate Angie Sylas by his side.
His multifaceted collaborative relationship with Emily Anderson was later featured in an exhibition by Jonathan Berger, titled An Introduction to Nameless Love, which was exhibited in 2019-2020 at the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts at Harvard University, Participant INC Gallery in NYC, and at the Whitney Museum's 2022 Biennial exhibition in NYC.
Mark's spirit of connection, humor, and resilience will be deeply missed by all those close to him and the thousands of people whose lives he changed for the better. Mark's family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at the McClure Miller Respite House for the compassionate care they provided to Mark and his family during his final days.
Visiting hours will be held Friday, November 1, from 9:30–11:30 AM at LaVigne Funeral Home, 132 Main St, Winooski. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 12:00pm at Holy Cross Church with burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colchester. A Celebration of Life will follow after the burial from 1:30–4:00 PM at the VFW, 6 Maple St, Winooski.
In lieu of flowers please consider supporting Mark's legacy through a donation to the organization he began building, which will continue his work into the future: https://www.utterenergy.org/donate use password 'Utterlymark' to access it.