Fought with courage and humor....   |   Tuesday, January 24, 2012





It is again, I bring sad news of the loss of another Oldham client. Mark and his sisters came to our studio almost a year ago. He was positive, upbeat and full of laughs... I'm so glad to see that he faced his death with the same character. To his family, we extend our deepest sympathies and are so thankful that they made the trip from Bay City to have Mark photographed.


JANZ, E. Mark, age 42, of Bay City, Michigan, died of brain cancer on January 21, 2012 at Bay Regional Medical Center. Mark battled cancer the same way he faced life: with humor, courage and a deep faith in God. Mark was born March 10, 1969 in Saginaw, Michigan to Edwin S. and Mildred H. (Hammerbacher-Wuepper) Janz. He graduated from Bangor John Glenn High School in 1988, where he was on the track team. After high school, Mark worked at the Meijer store on Wilder Road, where he stayed for 20 years until his illness forced him to retire. Mark was passionate about music, movies and history. In 2010, he achieved a long-time goal and took a history of rock and roll class at Delta College. He was also a dedicated blood donor, and received a life-time award for donating more than 6 gallons of blood. But most of all, he loved his family. He was a proud homeowner and loved caring for the home that he shared with his mother and his dog Pal. He leaves his cherished mother and five sisters; Sharon (Jim) Brown; Kate (Todd) Schisler; Susan (Marty) Crook; Ruth (Tim) Sutton and Jean (Don) Mead; many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. He also leaves his Meijer family, especially his good friend Diane McGregor. Mark was preceded in death by his father; nephew Kevin Mead; grandparents Albert and Meta (Lutz) Hammer-bacher; Blondina (Kolm) Janz and Sylvester and Helen Janz. Mark's family would like to thank the employees and management of Wilder Road Meijer and Meijer Corporate Office in Grand Rapids for all their loving support and generosity during his illness. They also wish to thank Drs. Campau, Cook, Copeland, Hurt, Littles, Schisler, Sriharen and the staff of Bay Regional Medical Center and Heartland Home Health Care and Hospice-especially Shantel-for their compassionate care. Finally, they would like to thank Carol at Elsa U. Pardee Foundation and the Oldham Project for their assistance. Funeral services will take place on Thursday January 26, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 510 W. Ivy St., Bay City with Rev. William H. Allwardt with interment following in Floral Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Gephart Funeral Home, 201 W. Midland St., Bay City from 2:00 to 9:00 p.m. on January 25, 2012. Mark will be taken to the church on Thursday to lie in state from 12:00 o'clock Noon until the time of services. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be directed to Zion Lutheran Church; to the Elsa U. Pardee Foundation or that they donate blood in Mark's name. www.gephartfuneral home.com "Death is nothing at all; I have only slipped away into the next room; I am I and you are you; whatever we were to each other, That we are still…"Canon Henry Scott-Holland, 1847 - 1918.

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2 Comments :

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Terri, I am one of Mark's sisters. The photographs you did of him are such a blessing. My Mom didn't want to put a photo of him as he looked right before death because of the bloating from the prednisone, etc. But the pictures you took are so beautiful, and that's why she agreed to have the photo with the obituary. There is a bitter sweetness for me as I see them here. Thank you for the work you do. God bless, Sue Crook, Bay City, MI (marsucrook@hotmail.com)

January 24, 2012 at 4:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mark has kept an appointment we will have to keep. Although I did not know Mark, I am touched by the love he had for his family and his family toward him. May God hold you during your grief and may you all find comfort in the memories that only you shared.....thank you sharing one of those with us through your pictures

February 1, 2012 at 10:06 AM  

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