Mark was a young man of 59 when he left us suddenly.  He is survived by his father and mother, Robert and Frances Ransom of Elizabeth, Colorado, his sister and brother-in-law, Sarah and Scott Elmassian, and their two children, niece and nephew, Erin and Ian Elmassian, all of Chino Hills, California.  He also leaves behind an "extended" family that is very large and cared tremendously for him, a family of the closest friends and co-workers.  He has left a very big hole in many lives.

Mark was born in Nebraska, and also called Texas, Colorado, California, and Washington his home.  After many years he eventually returned to Colorado.  During these years of growth, he explored several strong interests.  Astronomy, eventually building his own telescope, and not a small project either. Ham radio, a bug planted by his grandfather who was a ham, and spurred on by his sister and brother-in-law who were also hams.  A passion for Soaring, a delight and adventure that resulted in the ownership of his own sailplane and fantastic journeys and flights with friends. His latest, a more quiet and introspective pursuit, Flyfishing, where he became quite the consummate fly fisherman, introducing and teaching others the quiet skills of the sport.

Consequently, Mark was known by many names, KC7ZAK on radio, 2Mike in the skies, The Mailman on the river.

He also had a heart that was bent for service, was strong in his Faith in God and his salvation in Christ. He sowed into the lives around him.  He supported several organizations that assisted those that had lost much personally, especially our military.  He was a friend of and actively supported the local deputies, using ham radio to assist, because sometimes radio is the only signal out.  Mark was the type of individual that would drive by and see your snow blower faltering and had what you needed to fix it.  He would recognize a couple had car troubles and would pull over to help, only to discover they were from Germany and spoke very little English.  Yet he still got them back on the road safely.  He would clear your driveway of snow as well as his own.  He was responsible for the saving of 2 lives while with us, the first of a young girl in Tustin, California whose enraged boyfriend went after her with a gun, and a second, the observation of tire tracks of a vehicle that had gone off the road but not returned. No one heard nor saw the injured occupant’s horn nor lights, or anything unusual.  Except Mark.

Mark’s passing was peaceful. Not the result of an accident or terminal illness, but one that seems he had just . . . gone to sleep.  And awakened in a much better location, fishing better rivers.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”   John 14:3