Mark Svehla

Mark Phillip Svehla found pure peace and comfort in the arms of Jesus on Friday July 12th, 2024, at his home in Utica, Ohio. Born December 21st, 1981, in Baltimore, MD, to Gene & Belinda Svehla, he was incredibly loved by so many. There wasn’t an engine he wouldn’t push to its limits, or a fishing spot he wouldn’t turn down in his short 42 years.

Mark had the kind of work ethic that few could rival, and after a long day of work he spent his evenings working on all kinds of various projects. One of the most well-known & never ending of those projects was his race-car. He loved being behind the wheel of his stick-shift Mustang 5.0. He especially enjoyed when the fellow racers, or spectators, would come up and tell him what a good show he put on & how they enjoyed watching him get the front end off the ground longer than halfway down the track. Some of his best racing memories were when his daughter, Taylor-Joy was in her matching red & black baby racer beside him, and then cheering him on from the stands. If Mark wasn’t talking about an engine, he was talking about fishing. He absolutely loved being on the water. If there was a chance of catching a fish or a blue-crab, he was taking it; it was never too early, or too late for him to throw a line in the water.

Mark loved racing, fishing, and crabbing, but he adored his family. As the baby of the family, Mark had a special bond with his mother, Belinda. Whether they were listening to WCEI while running errands, or while she fixed one of her many secret recipes, the two of them usually had a radio playing in the background. He especially loved her cooking and baking. As an adult, he loved coming home to visit because he knew she would have several of his favorite meals and snacks ready-to-go for him to take back to his own home. His father Gene would spend his evenings and weekends with Mark and his brother, taking them to all the great fishing spots along the Eastern Shore. Mark’s most favorite of those memories were down at Bay Shore Drive, wading in the water and scooping crabs into the basket. His big brother Todd Svehla was his very first friend, and was the one who introduced Mark to all things cars & engines. When Mark’s parents befriended the Regulski’s, the two families raised their children together, went on summer holidays together, and created an extended family in one another.

Mark began dating Bethany (Price) in 2002, sharing over 22 years with her. August 30th would have been their 10th wedding anniversary. The two of them had a special bond, one that comes from overcoming adversity together. They shared a love for simply spending time together, fixing up their home, & working in the yard. Without question, their greatest accomplishment together was bringing Taylor-Joy into this world, and surprising everyone with the news, “It’s a GIRL!” after her birth in early 2022. Mark’s love for his baby girl was infectious. It didn’t matter how hard the day was, or how tired he was, he would smile ear-to-ear at the sight or sound of his sweet baby girl. One of their favorite games to play together was him “body-slamming” her onto the couch, but only if she wanted a big one. The louder Taylor squealed, “big!” the higher her daddy would raise her up and then drop her to the couch below. Mark loved taking Taylor outside with him to explore, teaching her to pick ripe mulberries off the trees, strawberries from the front flower bed, or fresh veggies from the garden. He was so excited for the day to come when they could go apple-picking together in their orchard that he spent so much effort on. He, of course, had her in his lap and behind the wheel of the trucks and tractors around the property, well before she was a year old. He loved his little girl so much.

After graduating from Colonel Richardson High School in 2001, Mark went on to attend several classes at Chesapeake College with Bethany. They shared one memorable class together, a communications class taught by “Mr. O”, and talked about that often throughout the years. For most of his adult life, Mark ran heavy equipment, enjoying the thrill of the dangerous work, being outside, and working at different locations. He ended his heavy equipment operating career with the IUOE Local 18 Union, and went on to become an entrepreneur. He always wanted to start his own business, and just 2 months before his passing, he achieved that dream. The first time he put on his own company shirt, & climbed in his own company truck, was a highlight of his life. Mark kept his circle of friends small, but held them close. They knew they could call him, and he would walk them through step-by-step how to fix their vehicle, or if needed he’d do it himself. Mark and Bethany shared particularly close bonds with two other couples & their children, the Baldwin family, & the Esposito family, which he often remarked how similar it was going to be for Taylor to his own upbringing. As with most small towns, you rarely befriend just the original friend, and soon become a welcomed member of the family. Some of the other closest families from Mark’s childhood and early adult life included: the Murphy’s, the Kennedy’s, the Chupek’s, the Jester’s, and the Dennis’.

Mark was preceded in death by his unborn child, Jordan in 2019, his paternal grandparents “Bud” Vincent Svehla & Lillian Svehla, maternal grandparents Joseph & Marie Bandjough, & his cousins Ryan Sheahy, & Raymond Svehla.

Mark is survived by his wife Bethany and daughter Taylor-Joy, his parents Gene & Belinda Svehla, his parents-in-law Meg (Ken) Koczorowski & Doug (Kelly) Price, his brother Todd (Melissa) Svehla, his brother-in-law Brandon (Laurie) Price, sister-in-law Erica Koczorowski, brother-in-law Cody Tackett, brother-in-law Adam Koczorowski, sister-in-law Maddy Price, his nephews: Matthew Svehla, Tyler Svehla, Duke Price, & RJ Price, his godson Camden Baldwin, and a massive extended family, of Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and friends that became family.

The pain of losing Mark cannot be understated, the loss is profound. His playfulness, sincerity, sensitivity, & loving essence made him a one-of-a-kind man, and we will all rally around one another to raise his daughter in knowing what a great Dad she had.

A visitation for Mark will be held Sunday, July 21, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Schoedinger Worthington, 6699 N High Street, Worthington, OH 43085, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM.

Services will be held in both Ohio and Maryland to honor the beautiful, but all too short life of Mark Phillip Svehla. In lieu of flowers, direct contributions to his family can be made via PayPal @bsvehla.