Mark Kenneth Lee

Mark K. Lee, 71, died at home in Gainesville on April 25, 2025 after a brave 3 year cancer journey. He is survived by his significant other of 30 years Miriam Welly Elliott. Survivors also include his step daughter Heather Everblue, grandson Zane Everblue, former son-in-law Chris Everblue and his “adopted” extended Welly family.

Mark grew up in Shelton, Connecticut and as an adult lived in Orland, Maine where he used his skills to build a house, mostly without help. He attended universities in CT and ME earning an AA in Music Theory and Business Administration. Back in the day he enjoyed time in a rock and roll band. During the Vietnam War he worked with an organization that assisted those seeking conscientious objector status. He later worked construction in South Florida as a carpenter and framer as well as in other areas of construction. In Gainesville he had some retail jobs in grocery and restaurant work and also was a Night Manager at St Francis House. Unfortunately a chronic back condition became acute and he became disabled with severe back pain and was no longer able to work. In 2008 Mark survived an acute medical sepsis crisis and was in the ICU for 3 months. He was like a Timex watch-“took a licking and kept on ticking”. That is until this year when he no longer could keep ticking. Despite the many medical issues in his life he remained a loving, optimistic and kind soul. He will be missed.

Mark’s home church was Emmanuel Mennonite in Gainesville. He reached a point where he could no longer attend with Miriam due to his pain and later the challenges of cancer. But he loved the Mennonite commitment to peace and nonviolence and how they really followed the teachings of Jesus. Mark also admired the indigenous people of Turtle Island (North America) and loved his maternal grandmother who was full blooded Blackfoot.

Mark and Miriam shared a love of the Beatles. He saw them in 1965 at Shea Stadium as a young kid. (She saw them in 1964 at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville). So their finding each other was a match made in Beatles heaven! They both enjoyed displaying her Beatles memorabilia at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s annual Collectors Day. Their life together was a beautiful love story. After all, “All You Need is Love”.

Donations in memory of Mark can be made to World Central Kitchen and their work to feed those starving in Gaza, provide food after the flashfloods in Texas and assist wherever people, anywhere in the world, are experiencing natural disasters and war. Donate at www.wck.or

Crevasse's Simple Cremation is honored to serve the Lee family.