Mark Oliver "Sparke" Edwards, M.D.

1961 - 2019

Mark Oliver Edwards, M. D. "Sparke" died unexpectedly on July 18, 2019 of heart failure. He was born in Mobile, AL on October 26, 1961 but was raised in Central, LA, growing up on his family's farm. A very precocious child, he learned how to take care of the farm at an early age, even driving when he was 10 years old. Mark had a brilliant mind and was interested in a wide variety of subjects, but the path he took in life started with taking care of his parents, both of whom suffered from serious illness. After attending Central High School, he graduated from LSU and was accepted into LSU Medical Center in New Orleans, where he received his M. D. degree in 1988. He completed his residency training in Charleston, SC and returned home to be a family practice physician for the next 27 years. He loved being a doctor and was devoted to his patients. But he also loved life: he enjoyed music and spent a lot of time going out to hear local musicians; he supported the local high school and college radio stations so that a wider variety of music could be heard on air. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of the music he loved and could remember who played on each CD along with the name of the producer. He enjoyed the outdoors, and when younger was riding his bike for long distances, as well as other activities: hiking, nature trails, gardens, fishing, and golfing. A love of art was also a big part of his personality. He enjoyed meeting artists, buying their work, and displaying it at home, having a keen appreciation of hand crafted objects. To sum it up, he wanted to have fun in life: annual treks to Jazz Fest in New Orleans, costuming for Mardi Gras, attending all the sporting events at LSU and not just football, but basketball (both men and women), gymnastics, and baseball. He liked cooking and enjoyed trying cuisines of different countries, as well as cooking for his friends and family. The traits I admire most about him were his kindness, his honesty, and his gentleness. He was preceded in death by his parents, Allen and Maria Hejmanowska Edwards. He is survived by his sister Yolanda Alleen Edwards and her adult child, River Edwards-Robicheaux. He is also survived by his former wife of 26 years, Renee Daigle and his step-children Vaughn, Ryan, and Leah Daigle. Services will be held Saturday, July 27 at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St. at 2:00 PM. Visitation will precede the service from 12:00 until 2:00. Friends and loved ones are invited to gather at the family home immediately after the services. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the local Baton Rouge High School radio station, WBRH.