Mark Everett Kimball

Mark E. Kimball, 94, of Tampa, FL, died November 5, 2023.

Mark's profound impact reached far and wide, leaving an enduring legacy of service, dedication, and love.

He was born in Colfax, WA, in 1929 to Mildred Meyer Kimball and Dale Everett Kimball and raised in Pullman, WA. Mark graduated from Washington State University, as a Reserve Officers' Training Corps officer and a member of Sigma Nu. After graduation he studied at the University of Minnesota to learn about the family funeral home business, but fate took him to Tampa instead to serve as a 1st Lieutenant at MacDill Airforce Base, where he met Adrienne Phillips Eller, a Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla debutante. Smitten, the two married in 1954 and embarked on a remarkable journey together.

A new job opportunity took the couple to the San Francisco Bay Area, and although their time there was brief, they returned to Tampa with a daughter and twin sons.

Utilizing his skills as a supply officer in the Air Force, Mark joined I. W. Phillips, a wholesale hardware company and family business, starting as a storage and materials handling manager and ultimately rising to executive vice president. Soon, another daughter and two more sons completed the family of eight.

Mark led his life with passion and taught those around him through his words but even more effectively by his example. His work ethic, whether about faith, family, career, community, or personal health, was second to none. At the end of the day, if he relaxed with some shut eye, it was earned, which aptly gave him his granddaughter’s moniker of her favorite snorer.

Faith, family, focus on others, health, and fun were the ultimate goals. Sunday church, Catholic schools, and role modeling the kind of person one should aspire to be were always at the forefront. He infused his lessons in his children and grandchildren. He taught love and responsibility with every interaction. It was the time spent together routinely doing regular things where he shared what truly matters and makes a person happy. He made it clear that being surrounded by loved ones and loving them is most important. He loved, coached, and disciplined, conveying life lessons such as yard maintenance, personal finances, and how to secure a job.

He shared his life philosophies, such as “life is too short to cheat” and “these things happen,” which prepared his children to navigate the curve balls that would come their way while always prioritizing doing the right thing above all. He was always there for support, best stated in his own words written to one of his children in college, “Don’t get discouraged. Life is full of these setbacks and problems. We have to roll with them and make the best of them. We love you and miss you. You have our prayers.”

His focus on others, an integral part of his being, brought him true joy. In his earlier years as a member of Service to Mankind, Sertoma, he volunteered by ringing the Salvation Army bells at Christmas time, fundraising at the Lowry Park concession stand, and teaching swim lessons to MacDonald Training Center (MTC) participants. Throughout these endeavors, he would bring his children along, instilling the value of helping others and volunteerism. During this time, he served as the Sertoma Vice President, Director, and chairman of the Sheltered Workshop Operating Committee; joined MTC as a board member, moving into the roles of Vice President, President, and Chairman; and served on several United Way capital fund campaigns, including as the Vice President of allocations and admissions. Not surprisingly, he was President of the Tampa Toastmasters Club, Secretary-Treasurer and Director of the National Building Material Distributors Association, Associate Director of the Florida Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, and Secretary of the Bay area Hoo-Hoo Club, which was a fraternal lumber industry organization.

Later, he helped maintain the properties at Alpha House, an organization that empowers pregnant and parenting women in crisis to break the cycles of poverty. On weekends, he built homes for Habitat for Humanity. As part of the Personal Energy Transportation (PET) project, he built specialized vehicles that could maneuver through mud, sand, and dirt in villages without paved roads or sidewalks. These rugged, hand-powered tricycle-cart hybrids, gifted to those in impoverished countries who have lost the use of their legs, provided mobility and even a means of making an income. He not only volunteered with PET, but he also served as one of their Board of Directors and their Secretary.

In what was likely his most substantial charitable endeavor by sheer numbers, he, along with everyone in the Woodcrafters Club of Tampa, would become “elves” every year during Christmas time, providing wooden toys for those less fortunate. The group would create well over 1000 toys each year. As a leader of the organization, Mark had the opportunity to showcase their work in a news piece celebrating their years serving the community. He was quoted saying, “These guys are all pretty humble guys. They’re the kind of people that want to help others; with woodworkers, it goes with the blood. If they can help people, they do it, not for the glory; it’s just the right thing to do.”

Hard work was expected, but fun was in the mix too. Learning to ride a bike, visiting the library, swimming, boating, skiing, camping, vacationing, sailing, fishing, walking 9-holes of golf, attending many family and spectator sports, and organizing family reunions were some of his many priorities. He suggested that his daughter choose a recreational class each quarter when attending college, stating that you need to know how to have fun as much as you need to know how to work. He exemplified being passionate about what you love and sharing what you love.

Dinner time was always family seated at the table together, where they began with prayer, and everyone was allowed to express their opinions and feelings. He taught his children to communicate by speaking one at a time, to listen actively, and not to talk over each other, which was not an easy task. High expectations were “a given”, “can do” was a theme, and quitting was not an option. Swimming lessons began in the early years for every child and would only end once they passed the junior lifesaving course as a pre-teen. When pursuing a job and asking for assistance, he would hand you the phone book. He taught his family that they direct their life by the effort they make.

He knew the importance of expanding your horizons while maintaining a sense of practicality. He wanted each of his children to attend their first year of college far from home to experience life outside of the world they knew while completing their education at an in-state school, showing them the importance of being budget-conscious.

Late in his career, his employer was acquired by a national chain, and Mark chose to start his own business, buying and renting homes. He excelled in his newfound career. He used his many skills assisting his children with their business endeavors as well. The whole family’s entrepreneurial nature should be no surprise, given his support of his children’s childhood business ventures, such as mowing lawns and babysitting.

He taught true love and commitment each time he held his wife’s hand or gave her one of his infamous squeezes. Married for 69 years, they celebrated their anniversaries with fanfare and said I love you often. He made each child and grandchild feel special, worthy, capable, and loved. He lovingly curated a photo wall in his home office, including each family and grandchild, displaying the importance of each one. Photos and slides were a constant throughout his life. More recently, he digitized them and researched the family tree, again emphasizing the importance of family.

His grandchildren will tell you that when they smell suntan lotion or sawdust, they will think of their Granddaddy. He spent countless hours with them in the pool, teaching them to stay afloat and making treasured pieces, such as a pen or an ornament in his woodworking shop. His love of crafting and tinkering grew to new heights when he refurbished a 1966 Mustang, winning awards for it and instigating big smiles with every ride.

The Mustang wasn’t his only personal project brought into existence through his expert craftsmanship. Mark truly loved working in his workshop, and he constructed intricate woodworking creations, ranging from small items with fine detail such as jewelry boxes and ornate mirrors to very large pieces, including dressers and desks. His hobby intertwined deeply with his strong desire to leave a legacy for his family, so each piece was almost always created with a specific family member in mind.

Mark sang loud and proud at church, even if it was a bit off-key, but that only brought more joy to all his loved ones who got to listen. His family will also think of him fondly when they hear the song “Dance with a Lady with a Hole in Her Stocking” as it is a song he would often sing on a whim. Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle” also brings him to mind. As the story goes, he heard a speaker reference the song at a work conference and returned home supercharged to take what the family called Fun Filled Family Outings (FFFOs) to a higher level. FFFOs became an integral part of family life and continued long after the children became adults with children of their own. It is a prized family tradition that will continue all due to his love and dedication in his honor.

He was the best at giving firm love-pats and a big squeeze, and each got better as the years went by. Mark is survived by his brother, Howard Kimball; brother, Phillip Kimball and wife, Leah; daughter, Leslie Quaritius and children, Paige, Jeffrey, and Jack and wife, Alexa and son, Shep; son, Dale Kimball and wife, Mary, and children, Lauren and husband, Adam and children, Parker and Quinn; Stephen and son, Cooper; Rosie, Becca, Theresa, Bridget, Paul, and Rachel; son, Neal Kimball and wife, Jill, and children, Caitlin, Maggie, Kyle, and Jimmy; daughter, Elaine Bagley and children, Megan and husband, Carey, and children, Aelin and Griffin; Olivia, and Kendall; son, Mark Kimball and husband, Jim; and son, Lance Kimball.

Funeral services are scheduled for November 22, at Christ the King church at 10 am, preceded by a 9 am visitation and followed by a 12:00 pm internment at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park, 4202 E. Lake Drive, Tampa, FL.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to MacDonald Training Center or to the charity of your choice.