Mark Alan Bledsoe

Mark Alan Bledsoe, 33, of Overland Park, Kansas, passed away peacefully Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at Menorah Medical Center, Overland Park. Family will meet with friends from 1:00 to 2:30 PM on Tuesday, September 29, 2020, at Dengel & Son Mortuary, 305 N. Pearl, Paola, KS 66071. Funeral services will be held following at 2:30 PM. Mark was born Monday, June 15, 1987, in Overland Park, KS, the son of Gary Alan Bledsoe and Connie (Carpenter) Markovich. Mark was a gentle soul throughout his life. Funny, loving, fun-loving, ornery, smart, tolerant, with an exceptional memory and a stubborn streak that served him well - in life and the games he loved to play online and at the kitchen table with family. He loved every member of his immediate and extended family above all else - although his internet games ran a close second. Having lost his father at age 4, he cherished having family around. He loved his brother and sisters, enjoyed their fascination with his computer games and gadgets; sharing insights with them made him laugh. His big wish was that they all were closer in age, but life is funny that way. We are grateful that as a boy growing up, he had a normal, very active childhood playing baseball, soccer, basketball, flag football, even playing on the initial lacrosse team at Olathe East High School. He played trumpet and was in the marching band through middle school. He studied Japanese in high school and remained fluent throughout his life. He had hoped to follow his father's footsteps and serve in the Navy as a linguist/translator, but his inherited spinocerebellar ataxia had other plans for him. Mark is survived by his mom and dad Connie and Brian Markovich; brother Creighton; three sisters Carly, Skylar and Maddi Markovich; his grandparents Shirley Carpenter, Allen Bledsoe (Stacy), Saundra Morley (Bob), and Vince Markovich (Kathryn); many other aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He will continue his journey now with his father Gary, grandmother Shirley Bledsoe, grandfather Corvon Carpenter, and aunt Kelly Beeman. The family suggests memorial contributions in lieu of flowers to the National Ataxia Foundation (www.ataxia.org) and can be sent c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary-Crematory, 305 N. Pearl Street, Paola, KS 66071. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on Mark’s Tribute Wall. "For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains."