Mark Matthew VanWinkle

Mark Matthew VanWinkle, 67, of Toledo, Ohio, passed away peacefully at The University of Toledo Medical Center on June 27, 2024.

Born December 17, 1956, Mark led an idyllic childhood in uptown Sylvania, surrounded by his parents, siblings, grandparents, aunt, uncle and numerous cousins.

Mark proudly attained the Boy Scout rank of Eagle Scout while in high school and lettered on the golf team, although he was allegedly kicked off the team for smoking on the course. He graduated from Sylvania High School in 1974 and was looking forward to celebrating his 50 th class reunion this August.

Mark and his future wife, Diana “Dolly” Vesey, moved to Chicago for an adventure in 1987, and Mark began his career in sales. He went on to spend the majority of his career as a wine and beer salesman for Berman Wine.

Mark and Diana were married on May 13, 1989, and together they raised three children who were the joy of his life: son Bradon “Brady”, who with his beloved wife Jenna gave Mark his first grandchild, Theodore; daughter Devon and daughter Emma. He was a most-involved father, never missing a game, play or performance – always loving a prank, inappropriate joke, or Cheez Whiz war.

Mark was known throughout the region for his love of music, as a lead singer for an extensive list of bands playing for almost 50 years, and as a supporter of local musicians in many forms. He was always ready to support live music and enjoyed catching a band whenever possible.

Mark was a devoted member of Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, where he happily led a dedicated group of volunteers as chairperson of their festival for 13 years. He was also very involved in Most Blessed Sacrament’s youth sports program and was devoted to assisting in coaching their baseball program for many years. Nothing gave him more joy than running into a former player who would call him Coach.

Mark was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in 1980. He recently developed kidney failure as a side effect of the disease and was the recipient of a kidney transplant on May 15, 2023. Mark lived his life to the fullest until being immune compromised brought on a series of infections from which he was unable to recover.

Mark is survived by wife Diana, son Bradon (Jenna), daughters Devon and Emma, grandson Theodore, brother Todd and sister Teri, and the cousins he considered siblings, Kevin and Cheryl Deye, Annette and Matt Mazziotti, Kathy Ritenhour, Cary and Patty Weaver, and Debi and Doug Cherry. He was predeceased by father Marvin, mother Donna Lou, uncle Roland Deye, aunt Jean Deye, cousin Cindy Barto, and many loved ones who were taken too soon.

Visitation will be held from 4-8 pm on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at Reeb Funeral Home, 5712 Main Street, Sylvania. A one-hour visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, 4227 Bellevue, Toledo, Ohio at 10:00 a.m. with a funeral mass beginning at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Ravine Cemetery, 6511 Ravine Dr., Sylvania

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, St. Francis de Sales High School or Notre Dame Academy.  

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