Mark Henry Byrum Obituary (1954 - 2019)

MADISON Mark Henry Byrum, 65, passed away on Monday, June 24, 2019 at his childhood home Mitchell Farm in Intelligence, North Carolina. A service to celebrate his life will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, June 27, 2019 at the Madison United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the church and all other times at the Mitchell Farm on Bald Hill Loop. A reception with all of Marks favorite ice cream will follow the service in the fellowship hall. Mark graduated from high school in 1972 while in a body-cast due to an accident in February of that same year. After healing, he was able to get a job at Gilliams Florist while attending UNCG for business administration, then went on to work for the Madison Messenger, where he was a sports writer. He covered Rockingham and Stokes County sports with the Falcons, Sauras, Panthers and the Rams. Later in life he became a manager for Taco Bell in Eden and then worked for the census bureau in 2000. Of course, he was called in to work at the family business during all major holidays and when things got swamped at the Madison Flower Shop. Mark had a heart of gold and a voice to accompany it. He was a regular in the choir at the church he was christened in, Madison United Methodist Church. He also sang in the beloved camp meeting choir at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Camp Ground in Mineral Springs, North Carolina. He loved the Lord and was always ready to help with any chore at the Madison United Methodist Church. He enjoyed the Methodist Men peanut production line and selling them to one and all. Mark was quite the history buff, especially military history. He once said that some generals campaign was like pin-pricking an elephant.that still stumps us all. Mark enjoyed watching Jeopardy and was a lifelong, dyed-in-the-wool, Duke Blue Devil fan. He was preceded in death by his father, Lawrence Weaver Byrum in April of 1976 and his mother, Pattie Pauline Mitchell Byrum on December 23, 2017 after 97 joyous years with her. Survivors include his sister, Frances Louise Byrum, who rarely saw eye-to-eye on issues but loved him dearly and will miss his smart remarks on everything under the sun. Additional survivors include aunts, Merlene Tudor and Ginny Mitchell and tons of cousins on the Mitchell and Byrum sides that are showing their love for our family, as well as extended family and friends at the Pleasant Grove Camp Ground where he and Frances were raised with a whole bunch of friends and family for two weeks of their lives every summer. The water balloon fights, baseball games and the Peay Patch are all cherished memories and will never be forgotten. Mark had a love for making and eating ice cream and that is one talent his sister will try to honor. His Cheerwine and macadamia nut ice cream was constantly in demand. His sister, Frances wishes to express her love and sympathy to everyone in advance for showing up to honor Mark Henry, praying for the family, sitting through the service or just going out and eating ice cream in honor of Mark. Us Byrums were taught that "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" Memorial contributions can be made to the Madison United Methodist Church, 110 West Academy St. Madison, NC 27025 and/or to the Pleasant Grove United Methodist Camp Ground, PO Box 6, Mineral Springs, NC 28108. Colonial Funeral Home in Madison is serving the family.