Mark Stratmann

Mark Stratmann, 18 Classic Court South, Palm Coast, Florida, died of mesothelioma, an asbestos related disease, shortly after his 59th birthday. The disease was diagnosed in October 2007 with the likelihood that he would not live to see Christmas of that year. Thanks to vigorous and aggressive treatment at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Mark survived and continued to manage his electrical contracting business, Electric Solutions, in St. Augustine until the disease took its toll and he could no longer provide the attention and time required to run the business.

Mark was a master electrician since age 24 who gained most of his experience in the Dallas area working often on banks and buildings with asbestos protected security vaults. Mesothelioma may take decades to develop after initial exposure to asbestos.

Mark left Dallas and moved to St. Augustine in 1990 where he was in charge of maintaining the physical plant and heavy machinery of Luhrs Boat Company. He was next employed in a similar position with Maiden Form in Jacksonville. He worked for Owen Electric as estimator and planning before opening Electric Solutions on Masters Drive.

Mark graduated from Massanutten Military Academy in 1970. He was from a Navy family and was born in the Naval Hospital in San Diego, March 13, 1952. He lived in California, Texas, Italy (twice), Maine, Jacksonville (twice), Puerto Rico, and Alexandria, Virginia by the time he graduated high school. Upon graduating high school, he immediately moved to Dallas in 1970.

Mark loved fishing the waters of St. Augustine and the Keys. He entered hospice care March 11, 2011 at Florida Hospital Flagler in Palm Coast where he succumbed to the inevitable ravages of mesothelioma.

Mark is survived by his wife, Violet; his loving step-daughter, Sierra; his children, Major Jeremy N. Savage, USMC (Kayoko), Matthew, Sarah (Michael), Jonathan (Tara), and Michael (Heather); two brothers, Charles (Julianne) and Eric (Suzanne), five cousins: Steve, David, Bruce, Brian, and Charlie Blalock; his uncle, Bob Blalock; niece, Christy (Cliff) Cosby; nephews, James (Kelly) Stratmann, and Jacob (Erica) Stratmann, great nieces and nephews: Caroline, Sam, Natalie and Jack: and his parents Charles and Jackie Stratmann. Mark had three grand-children: Caitlin, Jonathan and Jackson Savage.

The funeral will be celebrated at Trinity Episcopal Church, 215 St. George Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084 at 2 PM Saturday afternoon, April 2, 2011, with the Reverend Doctor David J. Weidner presiding. Father Ken Herzog, who provided counsel to Mark while in hospice care, will participate.

Flowers are gratefully declined. Donations honoring Mark for mesothelioma research are welcome - National Cancer Institute, Bldg 31, Room 11A-16, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892. Please note that the donation is for mesothelioma research in honor of Mark Stratmann.