Michael John Marks, 67, of Bay City, Texas, passed away March 26, 2019. He was born March 26, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois to Clifford Dunham Marks and Virginia Ann Kronner Marks.

Michael is preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Mary Elizabeth Marks. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth "Biz" Ellison Marks; daughters Christine Marks Davis (Chad) of Ennis, TX and Erica Anne Marks of Bay City; sister Carol Irene Marks-Nicholes (Bob) of Oakland, CA; brother Patrick James Marks (Gent Sturgeon) of San Francisco, CA; grandson Jerald Don Michael Farr, and nieces Cydney Lee Marks-Nicholes and Phoebe Rose Marks-Nicholes.

Mike grew up in St. Louis, attended St. Louis Priory School and Missouri Baptist College. He and Biz were married December 30, 1969 and would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this coming December. In school, Mike was active in football, basketball and track. As a sophmore, he received 3rd place in shot put in the Missouri state track finals. In high school, he was the lead singer for the 100 Proof Band, which is how he and Biz met.

Mike had several jobs in their early married years including being a welder, commercial artist and ferrier. He actually drew pictures of the Apollo and Gemini space capsules while working for McDonnell Douglas. Christine was born in 1971, and they moved to a 58 acre farm in Hermann, Missouri in 1975, while commuting to work 70 miles away in St. Louis. Life on the farm was wonderful, and the family enjoyed gardening, raising chickens, and horseback riding. After Erica was born in 1976, Mike started working in Hermann, Missouri as an office machine repair specialist. During a training session in Minneapolis, he met Bill Lumley, from Tyler, TX, who invited Mike to come to work for him repairing cash registers in Tyler, TX. The family moved from Hermann to Tyler in November of 1977, and later moved to Dallas in 1979 to be closer to the company's home office and to fly out of Dallas to service Positran cash registers for Sybra (Arby's) throughout Texas. Mike went into business for himself repairing cash registers for Sybra. Then he decided to open a furniture componet business selling chair seats and backs for parsons chairs. He supported working with high school students on the work/study program, and the boys he trained stayed with him after they graduated. He continued making furniture until the NAFTA trade agreement made it unprofitable. He started working in sales for Bath Fitters while dabbling in personal enterprises including earning his SEC series 6 license. He learned how to do almost everything in business, and due to health reasons, he retired from active business in 2010.

Mike loved the ocean and spent many vacations fishing in the surf on Galveston Island, Naples, Florida and San Diego. He even invented a "Sharkinator" torpedo to take his fish bait out into the deep water. He also loved deep sea fishing.

Mike was quite the inventor and had a wide variety of interests. He built a tres bouchet with his son-in-law to launch cantalopes and ice balloons into the air. He loved to make fireworks and "Osama Bin Lauden" bombs. The 4th of July events were always quite loud. He enjoyed deer hunting and tanning deer hides. He also became a Master Gardener. After Biz retired in April, 2016, they bought land in Selkirk Island near Matagorda, Texas and built a home for their retirement. After 32 years, they moved from Mesquite, Texas to Matagorda, and enjoyed the beauty of the woods, and the peace of the rural neighborhood. Trips to the beach for fishing and shelling were a constant source of enjoyment. As Mike's health issues limited his physical abilities, he enjoyed the birds, flowers and beauty of the landscape around him. He mentored two high school students who helped build a barn and landscape the property. He enjoyed the many dear friends he made in Dallas and along the Texas coast. His wit and knowledge were amazing, and he never seemed to forget anything. He touched so many lives in so many different ways, and memories of Mike will be always treasured.

Thoughts and prayers for the family members are appreciated. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital at www.stjude.org or Memorials Processing St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude PL., Memphis, TN 38105-9959.

A memorial service will be held 2:00pm Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Taylor Bros. Funeral Home.