Mark was born to Walter and Irene (Gut) Kaczmarski, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, on September 22, 1972, and immediately blessed our lives with a voracious appetite for laughter, adventure, and love.
Mark attended Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Grade School prior to graduating from Bishop Ryan High School in Hamilton, Ontario. He continued his education at Youngstown State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, before becoming a paramedic for the city of Youngstown, Ohio. His love of aiding those in need became his greatest passion for the future to come.
Mark attended National Chiropractic College in Lombard, IL, receiving his Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1999. He began his career with Midwest Chiropractic until he opened his own clinic, Southland Chiro & Rehab in 2013, where he was active in the Mount Greenwood community and a noted speaker for the Chicago Police Department. Through his many interactions with others, and his specialty in chiropractic medicine, Mark earned himself the nickname of “Bonecrusher”, an infamous moniker for the infamous man.
“Kazzer” was a force, an immediately unforgettable character. Our beloved Canadian sensation could make you smile, or more likely, double over in laughter while bringing tears to your eyes while instantly becoming your favorite human ever. He loved to play. Upon meeting someone new, it was not unusual for Mark to convince them of his time in a Canadian boy band or as a famous hockey player. Whether discussing the benefits of learning to speak Spanish through Telenovelas, or guessing your nationality through three questions, Mark was always correct.
His love for adventure was inspiring: skiing glaciers, surfing in the Pacific, flying lessons, rollerblading Lakeshore Drive, boating the Mississippi, and taking his children everywhere and anywhere possible. Some of their most recent adventures included jet skiing, roller coasters, and helicopter rides.
A most profound quality of Mark was his love for people, especially those he surrounded himself with daily, spanning from childhood until recent. He also found joy in cracking a cold one on the golf course with friends, backyard BBQ’s, and attending concerts whenever he had the chance. He always returned with fantastic stories because of his immense wealth of friends, both near and far.
Although Mark was an only child, he had many brothers. His friends, his boys, were the origins of his many, many hysterical and touching stories. They made him smile so brightly and were true loves of his life. Mark would answer the phone, “Hey Brother!” and it was known to be any of the following: John Spehar (Canada), Koksal Demirdag (Turkey), Angelo Gec (Illinois), Mark Procyk (Texas), Wes Ingram (North Carolina), Curtis Wolfolk (Illinois), Simon Lindsay (Australia), Matt Zavarella (West Virgina) and Danny Gaichas (Illinois). They have been by his side through various adventures, difficult life lessons, and, most importantly, as family. Mark loved, valued, and respected each man beyond measure.
His love extended beyond his brothers to his beautiful family in Canada, including his uncle Jerry (Julie) Gut, uncle John (Jania) Kaczmarski, aunt Rosa (Steven) Kaczmarski, and cousins Alexander, Tricia, Danny, Oksana, Anna, Mary, and the late Andrew Kaczmarski. Preceded in death are his grandparents, Alex & Anna Gut and Joseph & Stanislawia Kaczmarski. Mark cherished the Ukrainian traditions of his family and loved them all dearly.
Without a doubt, the greatest loves of his life were his two children, Kate Irena and Mason Philip, born from the love, respect, and partnership between Mark and their mother, Kelley Karberg. Never was a man so changed the day they were brought into his life. His heart soared with pride and gratitude, and his greatest pleasure was to spoil them as much as humanly possible. In their words:
“Dad lit up smiles everywhere. He was kind, and, in his words, “broke the ice” when he met new people. He always wanted to make memories and made the most with Mason and me. He cherished chicken wings almost as much as his family and friends. He loved practicing football, camping, and roller blading along Lake Michigan with his dog Lennox. He was dedicated, valiant, hysterical, intelligent, and so many other major characteristics. LAGL.” Love, Kate
“Dad loved his life and smiled every day, and all the time with me and Kate. We played football, baseball, going to the park. Every time AFV popped up we would watch people and laugh while eating chips and vinegar. Dad made the best tacos and ate a lot of chicken wings. We would get seafood and devour it. We all loved him so much. I love you Dad. LAGL.” Love, Mason
Our greatest thanks go to Walter and Irene for giving us Mark Paul Kaczmarski. Their love for him was endless, knowing no boundaries. Beyond parents, they were his teachers, his inspiration, his mentors, and his friends. They instilled in Mark a set of values and traditions that will be carried on for generations through all his family and friends. In Mark’s words, on many, many occasions, “My parents are the greatest people I’ve ever known.” The love they shared was beautiful and an inspiration.
Ya Tebe Lyublyu.
Visitation will be on Monday, February 15, from 4-9 PM at Andrew J. McGann & Son Funeral Home, 10727 S Pulaski, Chicago, IL 60655. Interment Private. In consideration of the safety of our guests and associates, Andrew J. McGann & Son Funeral Home will adhere to the current gathering restrictions in the state of Illinois, which allow 50 or fewer guests at services. Proper social distancing must be practiced and all guests will be required to wear face masks at all times. Thank you for your cooperation.
If desired, memorial contributions can be made to Mark's children at the following GoFundMe link. Anything and everything is very much appreciated. -- https://www.gofundme.com/f/kate-and-mason-kaczmarski-fund?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
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