"Stupendous"

Mark E. Cragun

October 15, 1974 ~ September 11, 2010

Hometown: Riverdale, UT

Our stupendous Mark E. Cragun returned home to his Heavenly Father on September 11, 2010 after an extended illness and valiant battle.

Mark was born October 15, 1974 to Brent and Genie Cragun. He loved being raised in Morgan.

He found joy in soccer, school council and scouting; earning his eagle scout award (motivated by a reward of being able to use his driver’s license.)

Mark served a full-time mission to Tampico, Mexico. There he shared the gospel with people he had come to love so much.

Upon returning home, he attended Weber State University. On December 8, 2001 he was sealed to his sweetheart, Hillari Rock in the Bountiful, UT temple.

Later, Mark attended wood badge and was an admired Scout Master. One of his greatest joys was teaching boys how to be men and watching them serve missions.

Mark leaves behind his loving wife Hillari, three beautiful children: Miyuki, Montana, and Niyah, his parents Brent and Genie (Mountain Green), eight siblings: Troy, Tammy (Don), Mike (Kristen), Dan (Colleen), Ryan (Debi), Katie (Kevin), Josh (Jessica), Wendy (Mario), and a truck load of nieces and nephews that he loved to tickle and stuff with candy.

He was preceded in death by his close friends Steve, Maury, and John. Mark loved adventure: water-skiing, sky-diving, motorcycles, scuba-diving and anything outdoors.

Services will be held Thursday, September 16 at 11am: 5500 S. 1175 W. Riverdale.

Viewing will be Wednesday, September 15, 6-8pm & Thursday, September 16, 9:45-10:45am.

In lieu of flowers an account has been set-up for the children under Mark Cragun @ America First.

A special thanks to all who helped in Mark’s care.

 

Love you big brother.  Everyone is missing your laugh today.

A few stories.

Inspired by my brother Ryan I thought I would share a few stories of my brother Mark.  If you knew him, please feel free to add your stories to my blog or my brother Ryan's.  We'll make sure to pass them on to his wife and children.

I was in second or third grade and probably just wanting to go home for the day, called my mom and told her I was sick.  Mark had a car so she sent him to pick me up and to take care of me at home.  Well, Mark always saw through my drama-queen attempts so he pulled up with his best friend John in the car blaring music, ready to party.  After getting me a meal (including a giant shake) from Steph's drive-in, renting me a few movies (including Newsies) he dropped me off at home and took off.  He always knew exactly what to do to either shut me up or the perfect thing to bribe me to keep my mouth shut.  He just knew people really well.  I remember thinking that day, I hope someday I will be that cool.  They were the coolest people I knew back then and sadly they've both passed away, just over two years apart.

Mark was always really patient with me, which was not easy I imagine.  As the youngest of nine kids I always wanted attention and I wanted to "hang out" with them and with their friend.  I went so far as to offer servitude to be with them.  Mark was usually the only one to take me up on it and I spent many nights bringing drinks and candy bars to 17-year-olds playing poker and pool in our basement.  He totally let me crash a date of his by letting me come roller skating with them.  I spent countless hours clogging for whatever girl he had brought over to the house, and he always just laughed.

 Mark took Flintstones vitamins until he was something like 27.  He loved candy and had a massive stash of it in his room.  He would hide fruit snacks and fruit roll-ups in there too and he never said anything even though he had to know that I took them all the time.  He was a good sport too, willing to try anything once.  He swam with sharks, went sky diving, dressed up for our family Halloween parties.

He was a great cook.  He loved cherry pie, made one of the best roasts I've ever had and loved meat and potatoes more than anyone I know.  He was so talented.  He could out run, out swim, out cook, out dance (though it was so goofy), out play, and out work anyone.  Without training he entered a local race just months after surgery and still won.  The last time I checked, his high school record breaking times still haven't been beaten and are hanging in Morgan High.

Mark dancing with Katie at our cousin's wedding.  Then he took my Grandma for a spin.  I told you he could out dance anyone.

Mark was always thin and muscular but nothing showed that better than his long skeletal "bone fingers".  He used to grab out legs just on the sides of your knee and he would squeeze until you finally owed gave up whatever he was getting at.  Along with blowing on your nose (see Ryan's tribute for that) this was Mark's other amazing torture ability.  He had the biggest laugh and though you had tons of snot in your mouth or your knee was aching you couldn't be mad at him because he just kept laughing.

I learned to seek out those in need from Mark.  He was always friends with the friend-less.  He sought out people and showed them a good time.  He could take a group of people who had nothing in common or didn't really want to be there and would show them the time of their lives.  He took the Young Single Adult program from a few people to a weekly hootenanny.   Ask any of the Young Men or Scouts that he's worked with at church and they'll all tell you how fun he was and how much life he gave to a group.

On that same note, he seemed to attract weirdos.  Some of my best times with Mark were working together at the Alaskan Inn.  He worked the grave shift and often our shifts would overlap.  We would sit together rolling silverware and just talk.  He had the funniest experiences there, all of which I'm glad happened to him and not to me.  Including how he patiently sat by a young Utah State Football player while he waited for an ambulance because his girlfriend had bit the top of his finger off.  Mark sat and comforted him because he was probably going to lose his scholarship because of the whole ordeal.  That was just Mark.  He would sit patiently and listen always finding the best in people.  I was one of those weirdos and he would let me vent on and on and on about whatever was going on in my life.  He convinced me that I could be a good mom and that I could move away from family and would be OK.  He  told me to keep going when I wanted to give up and cry.  He even held my hair a couple mornings when I was pregnant, running into the Inn to throw up in the bathroom.

A rare and random shot of "most" of the family on a trip to California.

Thank you Mark for believing in me, for reaching out to Mario and I, for letting me be a third wheel in your marriage way to often, and thank you for loving me.  I will never regret fighting for you Mark, and I always did.  Thank you for letting me come visit you just weeks ago, I only wish we could have stayed longer.  I love you big brother, I always have and I always will.

Lovely Tribute.

My brother Ryan wrote an amazing tribute to our brother Mark, if you're interested here's the link.

Mark Earl Cragun 10/15/1974 - 9/11/2010

I love you from the bottom of my pencil case.  Miss you Mark.

Mark

My brother passed away today at only 35.  He was amazing and beautiful and the happiest, most "stupendous" man. 
Mark, I'm sure you're running through the heavens finally free from pain.  Enjoy every bite of food you get up there, you can eat again. I love you Mark, I miss you. 

Just if you were wondering...

If any one is looking to buy me a present, (which I know all of you frequently are) this is definitely what I want.  Seriously, it's awesome.

Some recent adventures.

Recently we've gone on a few fabulous adventures that are too fun not to post about.  So here are a few snapshots of our awesome fun.

A couple weeks ago we left our ego's at the door and entered the frightening world of Chuck-e-cheese.  Neither M. or myself have been there since we were 8 so this was braving a foreign world which had preconceived tags of "disgusting, outrageously priced pizza", "sticky, gross toys from all the kids with jam-hands", "boring, old rides", and lastly " way too many kids with far too much sugar in their systems".  Well, we weren't wrong but we weren't fully right either.  Here are some pictures the best day of M.'s life.

So happy playing games with E.

E. riding on Scoop, he was very into drivin' with Bob.

E. was totally creeped out by this conversation he had with Chuck-e (is his name actually Chuck-e-Cheese or just Chuck-e?  Either way, it's a bit creepy).

Ahhh...a little moment of forced love.

Isn't this just cute? With the look-a-like Father and son vibe going on?

Here's where it gets exciting.  M. really got into the tickets.  I mean, REALLY got serious about winning as many tickets possible and I couldn't get him off of the lottery machines.  He was a ticket gambling fool!  Look at these shots, they totally prove my point.

Nerds.

We're just rippin' through these Saturday's like we have nothing better to do than have the time of E's life.  The very next Saturday we went to the Imagination Station and explored all the trucks and tractors they had on display.  E. sat in everything, drove everything and at the end, what was he most impressed with?  That's right, the mobile library because we let him check out a Thomas DVD.  My child is nuts.

Chillin' with Dad.

My Dad should be so proud, I was showin' him all the moves.

Livin' in luxury.

We kept praying this kid wouldn't honk the horn, we would have been totally deaf.

Drivin' the Humvee.  He asked the young man from the Reserves "What you do with this truck?"  I was totally expecting an awesome answer like "We drive it all over the place, over rocks and hills and anywhere we need to go".  Instead he said, "We drive it if we need to go somewhere."  Lame.  E. was a little disappointed with the answer, or at least I was and I'm totally projecting that onto my poor son.

More tractor pictures, or as E. would say "that's me in Roley".  (Roley from Bob the Builder). 

We made E. promise that he would never be driven around in the back of one of these cars.  He halfheartedly said yes while he played with the radio.

He's ready for the SWAT team.  Man I hope he decides to be something a little less dangerous.  The man we talked to here was really great and told E. that they "catch bad guys" with this truck.  We had a good conversation about how brave these men were, it was really great.

Tell me that's not just adorable?!?!

Top Gun written all over him.

He's just lettin' it all hang out; his little fireman belly, unders, tongue.  All his cuteness in a little fireman.

This is the face of a lady-killin' rock star.  So cute.

Hope you enjoyed and made it through.  If you did and read everything along the way, high fives.  You must really like us.