Mark Lyford passed peacefully from this life and went to his permanent home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on July 28, 2021. He was prayerfully surrounded in spirit by all members of his family. Born in Kalispell on Feb 2, 1959, to Bob and Gloria Lyford, Mark enjoyed his early years at the family home on the Lyford Ranch near Helena Flats, where he attended grade and elementary schools. He was an avid hiker and hunter (he loved Glacier Park and Lake MacDonald), hockey enthusiast and excelled in sports including football (Flathead Braves) and baseball. Mark graduated from Flathead High School in 1977. After graduating High School Mark continued to excel in higher education as well as apprentice under his father to become a plumber. He used his plumbing skills to work his way through college at both Portland Bible College (Portland, OR) and North Central Bible College (Minneapolis, MN) in Pastoral Studies. His desire to explore ministry options took him to Campus Christian Fellowship at in Western Washington University (Bellingham, WA) where he served as an intern during the 1990-91 school year. During this time he met Irene, his beautiful future bride, and married in September of 1995. Around this time he pursued technical training at Bellingham Technical College which landed him a job at Boeing in Everett, WA in 1997 where he worked until his passing. Growing up in Montana, Mark was a lover of the mountains, lakes and nature in general and his favorite place was Glacier National Park where he took his wife and kids every summer when they visited extended family. He also fell in love with Washington and took every opportunity to take a ferry ride and also spend time enjoying a good view of the water and mountains whether it was on a hike or from a hotel room or restaurant. He loved to travel and experience beautiful architecture, trains, planes and machinery. He traveled both for work (Boeing) and pleasure, allowing him to explore such places as Australia, Japan, India, Abu Dhabi, Italy and other places in Europe. When he wasn't working, or playing, he found a myriad of projects to do around the house which brought him a great sense of satisfaction and pride. Mark was a caring, thoughtful husband, father, brother, uncle and church member of Stanwood Foursquare who with a cheerful heart gave back with passion. He took his family on adventures any opportunity he had, and friends often shared those adventures as well. At church he served anywhere from usher, working with Irene in childcare, or with the Firewood Ministry cutting and stacking wood for the less fortunate. Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Gloria; brother Scott; five uncles, Wilbur and Ronnie Lyford, Wayne, Dale, and Clayton Logan; and aunt Viola Kluender. Mark is survived by his wife, Irene (DeHart)Lyford , and children, Christa, Amanda and Nathan, of Stanwood, Washington. On Mark's side of the family; Uncle Jerry and wife Gail, and Aunt Lois, of Kalispell, Mt. as well as two brothers, one sister, and 12 nieces and nephews; Daniel and wife Jill, and daughters, Kelsey and Kimi; Tom and wife Martha, and children, Jordyn, Chase, Sydney and Zachary; and sister Jewel, and husband Matt Dyson, and children, Chandler, McKynzie and Colton. Relations from Irene's side of the family include his mother-in-law, Alice DeHart and six siblings-in-law, their spouses, children and grand-children; Mike and Liz DeHart and sons Michael, Jeremy, Jonathan and grand daughter Victoria; Chuck and Carol DeHart and sons Stuart and Kevin; Catherine and Kevin Matwichuk and son Michael; Christine and Marvin Brown and daughters Kelsey and L'nai; Marcel and Laurie DeHart and son and daughter-in-law Kyle and Kaitlin DeHart, whose children are Olivia, Owen and Ruth as well as Rebekah and Brandon Bell, whose children are Henry, Lanie and Lincoln; Marcus and Lois DeHart and daughters Elizabeth and Elanor. There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, August 14, 2021 at 2pm at Stanwood Foursquare Church 27007 90th AVE NW, Stanwood, WA 98292. The service will also be livestreamed in real time (PST) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_aIE5 NqCkg The family would like to thank all of their loving family, friends, church family and people from all over who prayed for him in sickness and are now supporting Irene and the kids so lovingly, practically and generously. If you would like to continue to support the Lyford family, you may give donations to the Mark Lyford Memorial Fund through Stanwood Foursquare Church: www.4sq.church/give, click on the Mark Lyford Memorial Fund and choose this fund in the drop down menu. Checks may be written out to Stanwood Foursquare Church c\o the Mark Lyford Memorial Fund and mailed to P.O. Box 183, Stanwood, WA 98292.