February 4, 1966 - February 15, 2021
Mark MacDonald died unexpectedly on March 15, 2021 at the age of 55 at his home in Penticton.
Mark is survived by his wife, Daphne Hakstian and two sons, Matthew and Christopher MacDonald. His mother, Catherine MacDonald and his siblings John MacDonald, LeeAnn MacGillivray and Darrell MacDonald.
He is also survived by a legion of family in Nova Scotia too numerous to list and a core of close friends who were truly like family to him in the Okanagan. Mark passed away on the same day as his father, Alexander Duncan MacDonald.
Mark was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia to Catherine and A.D. MacDonald on February 4th, 1966. Mark had a rural upbringing and loved the outdoors where he fished, hunted, and farmed with his family and played hockey throughout his childhood and into early adulthood as the team captain of the Antigonish Bulldogs.
He cherished his childhood and had lasting close bonds with his uncles, aunts, friends and extensive family in the village of St. Andrews, Nova Scotia and beyond. He graduated in 1989 from Nova Scotia Community College in Stationary Engineering and worked in Halifax at the beginning of his career.
He eventually found his way to British Columbia where he met Daphne and they began a life together in 1992 and moved to the Okanagan in 1993 to begin the first of numerous business ventures that would expand for the next 29 years.
First with a Subway restaurant in Oliver, followed by 5 more throughout the region, a partnership in Ace Hardware in Oliver, the Hilltop Canco in Keremeos and finally to a number of heritage home restoration projects in Penticton. Throughout every point in his varied ventures Mark worked exactly as he lived: with boundless energy, enthusiasm, kindness, generosity and positivity.
He was a smart and respected business owner and employer with many trusted and devoted staff staying with him for many years. . He was larger than life in business, in his personal life and in everything he did. Mark and Daphne had the great good fortune to have a partnership that spanned their private and professional lives from the very beginning.
On August 28th, 2001 and January 6th 2003, respectively he welcomed his two beautiful sons Matthew and Christopher into the world and became a loving, energetic and devoted father. They meant the world to him in every way and his pride in them and love for them was immense. He couldn't wait to see them go out into the world.
Mark truly touched the lives of people he came into contact with and saw the best in everyone. He was a bright spark, a remarkable athlete and an exceptionally kind and giving person. He had a devoted and close bond with his loved ones that went beyond friendship- first with his friends in Nova Scotia, then Oliver and finally Penticton. To say he loved his friends and family is an understatement. Mark was a man who truly lived fully and his bond with others was strong and forever.
He loved being outdoors and spent his happiest times fishing, hunting, boating, playing hockey and golf, being at Baldy Mountain and landscaping numerous beautiful properties.
There will be a celebration of Mark's life at a later time when health orders permit.
In lieu of donations or flowers please do this when it is safe: Gather your special ones close. Have some drinks, laugh, tell stories (and tall tales), eat good food. Stay late. Have a toast to the memory of the wonderful man who was Mark MacDonald.
Condolences and tributes may be directed to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com
Nunes-Pottinger Funeral Service & Crematorium