Mark Wayne Routten

Mark passed peacefully at home with his wife and two sons by his side.

Mark was born February 14, 1956 in Hampton, Virginia to Edward Amory Routten and Betty Mould Routten. Mark enjoyed his childhood in Fox Hill, Virginia trapping muskrats, crabbing, and boating. He and his family enjoyed many weekends and almost every summer at the outer banks of North Carolina. There he met his long time friend Roy Dail. Together they played golf, caught plenty of fish, and spent many hours picking crabs and drinking beer.

Mark met the love of his life and married her (Nardi Lovko) on December 10, 1983 in Hampton, Virginia. They recently celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary. Together they raised two handsome boys!

Mark attended William and Mary for a short time then graduated from Thomas Nelson Community College with an AA degree. Mark worked for several years at the Newport News Shipyard before he moved to Florida where he worked as a Health Physics Technician at Florida Power and Light for 33 years.

Mark was an avid golfer and enjoyed this sport immensely. He played many amazing golf courses and dreamed of one day watching the Masters in person. Mark also enjoyed fishing, hunting, and diving. After retiring from Florida Power and Light in 2016, he moved to New Bern, North Carolina in 2019 with his wife. There he enjoyed time on his boat and roasting coffee.

Mark loved to catch and eat fresh seafood. In fact, he taught and encouraged his now wife, Nardi, to eat seafood. When dating Nardi he taught her how to dig up clams, catch fish, and pick (eat) blue crabs.

Mark is survived by His wife of 41 years, Nardi Routten of New Bern, NC., his two sons, Wayne Routten of Boulder, Colorado and Austin Routten of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and brother, Ronald Routten of Virginia Beach.

Mark was predeceased by his father Edward Amory Routten (1992); his brother Donald Routten (2010); and his mother Betty Mould Routten (2023).

Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, December 28, 2024 at Cotten Funeral Home on Neuse Blvd. The family will welcome guests between 12:00 p.m. and 12:55 p.m. We will move to the chapel on site at 1:00 p.m. for the service officiated by Gregg Parisher. A reception in the lobby will follow the service.

Consider donating to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation (NPCF). To make a donation, please visit their website at https://www.npcf.us/ways-to-donate/ . You can add in memory to any online donations. If you mail checks be sure to add who it is in memory of.

Thank you to our families, Florida friends, Mark’s Florida Power and Light buddies, Mark’s childhood friends, Creekside family, Hidden Harbor family, Milken family, CCS family, and Nardi’s TOY/POY family! Your support was and continue to be greatly appreciated!

One of Mark’s favorite artists was Jimmy Buffet. This quote sums up Mark’s Life: “Some of it’s magic and some of it’s tragic, but I’ve had a good life all the way”

Three words that sum up Mark’s life: Family, devoted, diligent.