I cannot believe that my good friend Mark is gone. Mark and I have been friends since we both attended Guadalupe Grammar school and continued onto Santa Maria high school. Mark was my neighbor all through high school and spent a lot of time at my house,especially during dinner hour. My folks loved him. My mom called him "patas largas" in spanish, which means" long legs" in english. I remember when Mark attended the reunion that started at Ernie Baldiviez's home on Saturday and ended at Patrick Ferini's antique ranch house on Sunday. Me, Sotero, and Ernie picked him up on Friday at the Santa Maria Inn and took him to the Elks lodge and we had a great time talking about good old times. The last time I saw Mark was when I nominated him to be installed into the Guadalupe Sports Hall of Fame. When he went up on stage to receive his award, at the old auditorium at Guadalupe school, he said that this was the greatest award that he ever received and that Guadalupe would always be his hometown. I will miss my good friend Mark, but I know that he is perfect now and in no pain.
Oh, Junie, what a beautiful tribute to Mark. I am so sad about his passing, and am glad I got to see him at that reunion. I hate seeing any of our old "Guad Squad" go. We had such good times growing up.
I can say was one of the good guys. I first met Mark when I was about 12 years old and living in Santa Maria and he was playing basketball for Guadalupe, and our team played against them. I can't remember who won. We always remained friends because we all knew the same group of guys, Milo, Sotero, Tony, Junie and others from the Guadalupe area. I last saw him on our 50th Reunion, and we spend a lot of time talking about our younger days and he told me of his sons and how proud he was of them. Damn! It sad he is gone.but may he R.I.P. God Bless him and his family.
John Sabedra (Sabedra)
I cannot believe that my good friend Mark is gone. Mark and I have been friends since we both attended Guadalupe Grammar school and continued onto Santa Maria high school. Mark was my neighbor all through high school and spent a lot of time at my house,especially during dinner hour. My folks loved him. My mom called him "patas largas" in spanish, which means" long legs" in english. I remember when Mark attended the reunion that started at Ernie Baldiviez's home on Saturday and ended at Patrick Ferini's antique ranch house on Sunday. Me, Sotero, and Ernie picked him up on Friday at the Santa Maria Inn and took him to the Elks lodge and we had a great time talking about good old times. The last time I saw Mark was when I nominated him to be installed into the Guadalupe Sports Hall of Fame. When he went up on stage to receive his award, at the old auditorium at Guadalupe school, he said that this was the greatest award that he ever received and that Guadalupe would always be his hometown. I will miss my good friend Mark, but I know that he is perfect now and in no pain.
Catherine DeGasparis (Farly)
Oh, Junie, what a beautiful tribute to Mark. I am so sad about his passing, and am glad I got to see him at that reunion. I hate seeing any of our old "Guad Squad" go. We had such good times growing up.
Rudolph Lemos (Lemos)
Mark,
I can say was one of the good guys. I first met Mark when I was about 12 years old and living in Santa Maria and he was playing basketball for Guadalupe, and our team played against them. I can't remember who won. We always remained friends because we all knew the same group of guys, Milo, Sotero, Tony, Junie and others from the Guadalupe area. I last saw him on our 50th Reunion, and we spend a lot of time talking about our younger days and he told me of his sons and how proud he was of them. Damn! It sad he is gone.but may he R.I.P. God Bless him and his family.
Rudy
Jon Brunner (Brunner)
It is always hard to hear about an old team mate's passing.
Mark and I played a lot of basketball togeather and he was a very good team player.
We both left a lot of persperation on the old Santa Maria gym floor.
Ever since Ieft Santa Maria and went through life I always thought about my old
team mates. Mark seemed to be on top of my list. I was glad to hear he became a
teacher and was a backetball coach. He will be missed but left a good legacy for
all to follow. My deepest sympathy to his family and close friends.
Jon Brunner
Michael J. (Mickey) Kovarik (Kovarik)
A great friend through high school, great college roommate and best man at Cathy and my wedding. Friends like Mark don't come any better.