Mark Stephen Howard, 54, passed away January 5, 2025. He was born February 17, 1970, in Winston Salem, NC to his parents John Howard and Dolores (Dee) Warren, and was the older brother to Michael and Stephanie. He spent his formative years as a boy scout and earned the high honor of eagle scout at 18 years old.

Mark graduated from the University of North Carolina Charlotte in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in philosophy, where he met his life-long best friend Mark Mueller. Following his graduation and some time working in North Carolina, he and his future wife, Diane, moved to Oak Island, NC, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, then to Charleston, SC.

Mark and Diane married in 1999, and together they raised two daughters, Delaney and Sydney. He worked hard to prepare his children to take on the world and was proud of the women they both became.

There are many titles that a person can hold throughout their life. For Mark, he was most proud to be a father, a husband, an older brother, a softball coach, a carpenter, and so many other things. He loved to hike and camp, especially in the Shining Rock Wilderness Area. He was resilient, hard-working, principled, generous, and could even be funny sometimes. Anyone who knew Mark could attest that he loved his dogs. Miss. Rags and Roscoe were his soul mates with paws -- definitely man's best friend.

Mark is survived by his daughters, Delaney and Sydney; wife of 25 years, Diane; parents, John Howard and Dee Warren; and siblings Michael Howard and Stephanie Wilson.

There will be a celebration of life at Shining Rock Wilderness Area at a later date where friends and family are invited to scatter Mark's ashes and celebrate his life.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Friends of Colleton County Animal Shelter.

He will be missed, but not forgotten.