Mark Bodzin's Obituary
Mark Bodzin, 61, of Dallas, Texas, passed away peacefully on Oct. 11, 2017, after a two-year battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare form of dementia.Mark will forever be remembered as a devoted husband and friend, loving father and grandfather, passionate sports fan, consummate salesman, and someone who truly showcased a zest for life.Mark’s charismatic personality combined with his natural gift to carry on a conversation with anyone about anything—and we mean ANYTHING—not only led him to have a successful career as a business owner, but it guaranteed that he would make at least one new friend wherever he went. He was a walking encyclopedia of sports trivia, a rock and roll aficionado, and a versed teller of corny jokes.Like any third-generation Texan, Mark’s love for his home state ran deep. He attended Kramer Elementary School, Franklin Middle School and Hillcrest High School. He was a graduate of the University of Texas and a lifelong fraternity member of AEPi. He bled burnt orange and raised his Hook ‘Em Horns in every photo. He was also proud to have been born and raised in Dallas and loved everything the city offered, especially its sports teams and the Great State Fair of Texas. Growing up in Dallas allowed Mark to develop friendships in elementary school that he maintained for the rest of his life. In high school, Mark was active in the AZA chapter Monsky and became beau of the BBG chapter Ginny Weinstein.Even though Mark was a Mavericks basketball season-ticket holder and a die-hard Cowboys fan, baseball was life. And it’s a passion that he passed down to his children and grandchildren. After years of coaching and cheering on his son and daughter in baseball and softball, Mark was able to continue to teach the basics of his favorite sport to his two young grandsons. He traveled to ballparks around the country, attended spring training in Arizona, went to Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series and was one of the original season-ticket holders for the Frisco RoughRiders when they built their stadium there in 2003.Mark was a man of many talents and gifts, but perhaps his greatest gift to family and friends was his special birthday greeting. When you answered a call from Mark Bodzin on your birthday, you knew the first thing you would hear was the sound of him playing “Happy Birthday” on his air trumpet. And there was no greater sound than that.Mark is preceded in death by his best friend and father, Louis Bodzin. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Sandra Bodzin; mother, Evelyn Bodzin; sister, Cheryl Bloch; daughter, Erin Karlin; son, David Bodzin, son-in-law, Nate Karlin, grandsons, Jacob and Micah; uncle and aunt, Dr. Joseph and Phyllis Somer; and many nieces and nephews.A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, at Restland Memorial Chapel at Restland Memorial Park. Interment will immediately follow. Pallbearers will include Glenn Bruck, Dr. Michael Pincus, Perry Radoff, Ronnie Shipper, Robert Steinfeld and Ted Tobolowsky. Honorary pallbearers will include Scott Bormaster, Mark Heller, David Kurtz and Steve Saltzman.In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Mark’s honor to the Legacy at Willow Bend’s Memory Care Unit, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, and/or CurePSP.org. The family wishes to give special thanks to the Legacy at Willow Bend, VITAS Healthcare and special friend, Neil Beckerman.
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