Mark Sutton Etheridge

MAJOR MARK SUTTON ETHERIDGE February 25, 1972 – October 28, 2011 Beloved son, brother, uncle and friend, Mark Sutton Etheridge, died on October 28, 2011, after a courageous and inspirational three year battle with brain cancer. He was a fourth generation Atlantan, born at Northside Hospital. He attended Atlanta Public Schools and graduated from Marist School in 1991 where he was a member of the 1989 State Championship football team. He continued his education at the University of Georgia becoming a “Double Dawg” in 1999, graduating Cum Laude from the University of Georgia School of Law. After passing the Bar Exam he was commissioned in the United States Air Force Judge Advocates General Corp. While serving in Texas, Korea, Germany and finally California he rose to the rank of Major and achieved the overall assessment of the number 1 of 21 worldwide senior litigators and number 1 of 107 defense litigators. He received the Meritorious Service Medal for his accomplishments in 2009. Mark was a knowledgeable and avid sports fan. He followed his Georgia Bulldogs and his Marist War Eagles even while serving overseas. He would listen to Marist football games over the internet. He was also an accomplished runner completing half and full marathons in Stockholm, Paris, Budapest and California. During his battle with cancer he completed 5K and 10K races in 27 states toward his goal of running a race in all 50 States before his cancer proved too strong. When asked why he was running in all of these races, his reply was simply “Because I Can.” He is survived by his mother and father, Brenda and Philip Etheridge, his brother Paul and sister Chelsea. He is also survived by his Aunt Mary E and Uncle Herbert Gaul of Wilmington, Delaware and Aunt Peggy and Uncle Bill Smitheram of Georgetown, Texas; Uncle Robert and Aunt Pauline Williams of Brisbane, Australia; his first cousins, Katy, Laura, Christopher and Melanie, and their spouses; and his most precious nieces and nephew, Tatum, Colby, Phoebe and Paul, Jr., Etheridge. He will be sorely missed by his soul-mate Patricia Gruen of California and his many, many friends that he made throughout his life. His family would like to thank the wonderful medical staff at both The Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center and Peachtree Hematology Oncology Consultants at Piedmont Healthcare for assisting Mark in his battle and allowing his family and friends additional precious time with this wonderful human being. A celebration of his life will be held at Ansley Golf Club, 196 Montgomery Ferry Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30309 on Wednesday, November 2 , 2011, 11.00 a.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the RJCEF- The Mark Etheridge Foundation, 3348 Peachtree Road, N.E. Tower 200, Suite 1250, Atlanta, Ga. 30326.