TRIBUTE: Mark will be missed

“It is with deep sadness that we parted with our beloved son, brother, uncle and friend, Mark Reynolds, who passed away on August 27 in the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital (previously old Johannesburg General).

Mark was born in Tzaneen on July 23 1974 and lived with his family in Tzaneen until the age of 4 years, after which the family moved to Whispering Waters Farm in Agatha.

He attended Unicorn Primary School and completed his school career in 1992 at Merensky High School where he matriculated.

From a very young age, Mark was a natural born artist.

Once he had completed his schooling career, he started off his working life at Vixtrix Signs as a sign writer.

He progressed from Vixtrix Signs, to working for Letaba Herald as a graphic designer and layout artist in the advertising and newspaper layout department.

He was brilliant and excelled to the extent that he was offered a position with the Caxton and CTP Group in Johannesburg in the Magazines department in 1997. He worked for Caxton Magazines for five years and had various promotions. Mark was the art director for “The Market Place Magazine” when he finally decided to take the brave step of moving into graphic design as a self – employed individual.

He started off his own company “Green Creations” in 2002 situated in Pankhurst, Johannesburg.

In 2006 Mark moved back to Tzaneen and lived on the family farm “Whispering Waters”, where he continued in a self employed capacity with his art and graphic design. He looked after his mother, Marty Reynolds and continued maintenance and upkeep of the farm, the home and the garden.

Mark’s passions aside from art were gardening, cooking, baking, interior design, building, furniture restoration, listening to music, socialising and dancing.

Anyone who knew Mark would know that he was the heart and soul of any party or social gathering and he would always be the first and last on the dance floor.

With his sunny disposition (known as Sparkie by family members) and jovial spirit, he was loved by all who knew him.

From November last year , trying to clear out the shed which had been damaged by a large pine tree that had fallen down from a severe wind storm late in October, Mark developed a severe lung infection. At the time we were experiencing a very dry period and from trying to clear pipe lines and the water filter at the spring source (from which the farmhouse gets its water), Mark’s health deteriorated.

Being a typically stubborn Reynolds, Mark resisted the idea of going to a doctor.

In January 2017 he eventually agreed to seeing Dr. Marika Voigt, who diagnosed symptoms of Bilharzia and detected a heart condition. She then referred Mark to a cardiologist, Dr. Jannush, in Polokwane. He was diagnosed as having a leaking heart valve and was informed that with the correct medication the condition could be treated. He was given medication, but his condition continued to deteriorate.

On the July 9 2017, his sister, Natalie, who is working in Johannesburg came to fetch him to take him to hospital.

He was admitted to Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital on July 10 2017.

Mark was diagnosed with Infective Endocarditis, an infection and growth on the leaking heart valve, which was infecting all of his organs.

He was initially in the Cardiac High Care Unit where he started a six week Intravenous antibiotic course to clear the infection and growth on the leaking valve before a heart valve replacement operation could take place.

Initially his condition improved and he was transferred to the Cardiac Ward. On the August 8 2017 his condition once again started to deteriorate.

His blood pressure had dropped to dangerously low levels and he was admitted to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit where he remained until he had passed on.

Mark was dearly loved and will be sorely missed by all of his Family and Friends.

His family would like to thank everyone for their love, prayers and support during this difficult time.”

A memorial service for Mark will be held at Cheerio Gardens in Magoesbaskloof on September 11.