Following graduation from the Carnegie Institute of Technology as a civil engineer, Mark was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. An Army ranger and parachutist, Mark served over 2 years in Vietnam as a paratrooper and combat engineer. While in Vietnam, Mark was a “tunnel rat” who searched Viet Cong tunnels for people, intelligence, or weapons prior to destroying the tunnels. Following Vietnam, Mark continued to serve his nation as a leader of troops and builder world-wide, including being the resident engineer for the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Model at Matapeakeon Kent Island. Memorably, it was at that time in Annapolis Mark met his beloved wife, Connie; they were married in 1976.
Following his career in the Army, Mark worked for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, managing the budgeting, design, and construction of new or renovated schools. During his tenure, over a half a billion dollars’ worth of new or renovated schools were provided for the County’s children. In his younger years, Mark was an avid pilot. He held a commercial pilot’s license with single and multi-engine aircraft and instrument ratings. He was also an FAA certified flight instructor for aircraft and instrument flying. Mark and Connie flew all over the United States and the Bahamas in their trusty Cessna 182. They also enjoyed sailing, both on their own boat “Schatzie” and Mark sailing with friends in Frostbite and Wednesday Night races. Mark was member of the Annapolis Yacht Club’s Race Committee. When he and Connie weren’t off on some grand adventure, you could often find them “gunkholing” on the Chesapeake Bay.
Mark was an ordained deacon and ordained elder at First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis. Over the years, he served on many church committees and participated in or chaired a number of fund-raising campaigns. Mark was very active in the church’s partnership with the Letohrad Congregation of the Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren in Letohrad, Czech Republic. He and Connie visited Letohrad on many occasions and participated in activities ranging from English tutoring to weddings, visiting with senior citizens, and most importantly, just being in fellowship and conversation with our Czech brothers and sisters.
Mark is survived by his brother, the Reverend Michael Moran and his wife Eileen Devlin and Connie’s niece and her husband, Stacy and Matt Borror. He was predeceased by his parents, Francis (“Hap”) and Lucille Moran and his beloved Connie, who died in 2013. Theirs was indeed a “great love.”
In lieu of flowers, please consider a tax deductible donation to the Connie Richardson Moran Endowment Fund at First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis, which provides grants for the youth of the church to participate in summer mission trips or activities in the Czech Republic. A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church on October 22, at 2 PM. On-line condolences may be made at www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com.
To watch a memorial message from the Czech Republic, please copy and paste into your browser:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y2CPJDrBVgPi-FtxdOvqokQVLSLReIir/view__;!!M2D_dUfSiN4E!IAwU6avzpg2ET--hnBB-o7Y7OivZqfCb1MwVz-egnv7bUzUctGLaTrUZdb0okEPKJnHBQwpqPOywkL0UICjU7jfByY81LTEs$
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