Mark Kent Sawyer, 70
Mark Kent Sawyer, 70, passed away on March 21, 2021, the first day of spring. He passed perfectly peaceful with family by his side and blanketed with thoughts and prayers from all that had known him and understood his trials with Alzheimer’s disease in the years preceding.
Born in Bakersfield, Calif., on Nov. 18, 1950, to Vernon and Myra, Mark was the eldest of five brothers, who no doubt contributed to his drive for leadership and camaraderie. Among those brothers, he is survived by Gary and Tom and preceded in death by Dennis and Robert. Mark, his brothers and his friends ripened in sunny Bakersfield, Calif.
During his high school years, Mark worked at his dad's business, Vern's Chevron, next to a popular burger place, Andre's Drive-In. He and friend Denny, under Vernon's expert supervision, learned the finer points of engine rebuilding, which served them well in years to come. They also loved fishing and backcountry trips in the High Sierras, summiting Mount Whitney several times.
Seeking adventure in his classic style, Mark relocated to join close friends Denny and his wife Celia in Naples, Idaho, in 1972. There he fulfilled his dreams of building a log cabin, living off the land and starting a family with his California bride, Nancy Hawks (Thompson). Within a few years, their little family grew with the births of Matthew Vernon and Jennifer Elizabeth in the late 1970s.
In North Idaho, Mark worked in the timber industry, as a logger, and in sawmills, eventually becoming head-rig sawyer. He took an early retirement as a journeyman electrician in 2014.
Mark loved to read, fish, restore boats and work on his house. For a few years, Mark enjoyed being trained and volunteering with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary stationed along the southwest shore of Lake Pend Oreille, where he resided. He was an active Christian who enjoyed taking part in church activities.
Mark is survived by his two children, Matthew and wife Amy, their children Tristan, Treven, Jaaron, Jaxton, and Jillian of Shelton, Wash., and Jennifer and husband Andrew and son Kincaid of Damascus, Ore., who laughed with and loved Mark when visiting at his home in Bayview, Idaho, shared with his wife, Judith.
Please join us in celebrating and remembering Mark at 2 p.m. on June 13, 2021, at the Coeur d’Alene Bible Church, 5350 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815.
The family will be hosting a picnic dinner from 4:30-8 p.m. immediately following the service. Please join us at Farragut State Park on beautiful Lake Pend Oreille, Sunrise Day Use Shelter.
Please RSVP to Jennifer (Sawyer) Maze by phone (503-705-4733) or email (gijenn79@hotmail.com) by June 6, 2021.
