Family, friends and colleagues remember much-loved Telford man after death aged 41
Cheques totalling £23,000 were presented to charities at a memorial event for a much-loved family man who died at Severn Hospice.
Mark Lowe, of Innes Avenue, Oakengates, Telford, died peacefully of cancer in Telford on February 29, 2020 with his family by his bedside. He was aged 41.
Mark worked at NBC Bearings in Wellington and the company matched many of the fundraising events to the tune of £5,000.
During lockdown, when funeral services and wakes were restricted in number Mark's family, colleagues and friends were unable to get together to celebrate his life. But they did that when nearly 100 people went to a special memorial ceremony at the Shropshire Golf Centre, in Muxton, on Saturday.
In a religious service lead by the Rev Debbie Loughren family members and friends were able to play music he loved and to reflect on pictures and a video of him.
The service was followed by a presentation of £7,000 cheques to Severn Hospice, in Telford, and the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, in Shrewsbury.
As the Kidney Patients Association for Shropshire was not able to attend, they will receive their cheque at a future date.
A donation of £2,000 was also made to St Peter's Parish Church, in Priorslee.
But during what turned out to be the final months of his life he kept a remarkable blog of his daily struggles and inspirations. It helped raise thousands of pounds for charities and continues to inspire his dad, Dennis, and mum Diane, to raise money in his memory.
Family friend Stewart Braddock said: “I cannot remember anything bad being said about him or by him. He was genuine salt of the earth.”
Since Mark, who was single with no children, died his family have continued fundraising efforts in his memory.
There is a website and Facebook page dedicated to the Mark Fights Cancer cause.
On the website Mark wrote: “I used to think cancer was bad, but I didn’t know it was this devastating.
“I have had excellent support from my family – I would have given up a long time ago if they were not around.
“How can I give up, I’ve wanted to, but every time I look at them, I can’t put them through such pain?
“I lost my house; I lost my job; I lost my car; I lost friends. I had to get used to living on benefits for the rest of my life., I have worked hard and enjoyed nice things,
“Just another thing I had to deal with.”
