Mark Douglas Etchason aka “Etch” was a loving husband, devoted father, cherished family member, and loyal friend.  Etch was the embodiment of a “people person” who quickly won over everyone he met with a combination of kindness, a quick wit, an easygoing manner, and his omnipresent smile. 

Mark came to Colorado in 1985 after graduating from Northern Illinois University.  He was drawn to the skiing, hiking, biking, and overall beauty of our state and his appreciation for it never waned.  His first stop out of college was Colorado Springs where he began a successful career as a sales professional and eventually met Nancy, his wife-to-be. To no one’s surprise, Mark excelled at his chosen profession as a sales executive.  At every career stop along the way, he made lifelong friends and mentors who loved and respected him. 

The consummate family man, Mark cherished spending time with his son and daughter and beamed with pride at their achievements. He regularly took his family on wonderful vacations – always filled with silliness, fun, good times, – and sometimes a bright yellow convertible. When work kept him from joining, Mark was happy to provide a getaway for the rest of the family while he worked on a home improvement “surprise” project to reveal upon their return. One of Mark’s most cherished travel memories was a 25th anniversary trip with Nancy to Italy, the highlight of which was receiving a blessing from Pope Francis.

After family, Mark’s greatest passions were music and sports. He loved and relished playing his guitar with friends, as part of a band, or in a solo jam session. He also had an encyclopedic knowledge of music and lyrics across genres which made him an ace at music trivia and a great person to attend a concert with. An avid sports fan and fantasy sports team owner/champion, he cheered for all his favorite teams and particularly enjoyed attending Avalanche hockey games with family and friends.

As a friend, Mark was the best and would be there for you whether to share a laugh, help with a project, or lend a sympathetic ear. To know Mark was truly to love Mark. He was the type of man who could find joy in every situation and bring it to everyone around him. Losing him suddenly left a huge void in our world and our lives.  We launched Etch A Future as a tribute to this remarkable man, his love of music, and as way to positively impact the lives of others the way he impacted ours.