I remember meeting Mark around the year 1971. I distinctly remember his shoulder-length, long blonde hair, and beautiful blue eyes. He had a Schwinn stingray bicycle. We rode our bicycles all over town, even on the rainy days. I recall during the warm summer months we would hang out at my house or Louie Rafti’s house swimming till we got tired. Eventually we progressed from bicycles to cars. Mark purchased a 1963, white Dodge Dart station wagon. We decided to go on a camping trip to Sequoia National Park. We slept in the station wagon. That evening it had snowed four or five inches and the next morning we barely made it out of the park. Years later Mark purchased a green 1969 Chevy Nova, installed a sound system with an 8-track player. We went to parties to almost every weekend. I recall wild weekend, camping excursions at Big Tujunga. He was fun to hang out with. Sometimes he was the life of the party. One outstanding attribute I recall was that Mark was an exceedingly kind and gentle person. He was a dedicated employee at the company he worked most of his life. He lived his life to the fullest. Nothing but special and happy memories of this precious friend. Mark was more than a friend; he was a brother. May you rest in peace my precious, precious brother. I love you and will miss you dearly.

I first knew Marek in our younger years. We were a group of friends in Junior High through High School. We did things together after school and during summer. I would still see him now and then through his good friend Mark Laskey. He was always a good friend and had a GREAT heart. As Mark described, he escaped a place where freedom was oppressed. He was blessed to to be brought here to live as a free man. He did well, esp. in serving his country so that all here may live free. A damn good Shipmate. I Salute Him⚓️