Mark Russell Lautenschlager

November 1, 1960 – December 12, 2022

Mark Russell Lautenschlager was born in Boynton Beach, Florida, to parents, Alvin and Sandra Lautenschlager on November 1, 1960. He was one of the first babies born at Bethesda Memorial Hospital, where his grandfather, Russell Sullivan, served as the purchasing director. Mark studied computer science at Palm Beach Junior College and attended Florida Bible College, but the attraction of actually working in the new world of microcomputers was too strong and he left academics behind to launch a software company with friends. Self-taught, he became an expert in many subfields of microcomputers and technology. He worked in technology positions for Bethesda Memorial Hospital and DHL and ran his own consulting firm. Mark had a gift for explaining technology to non-experts, so he took his expertise to the radio and worked for many years on radio shows about computers, gaming and technology, writing and producing content and answering hundreds of questions for computer users.

Mark married Tracy Haub in 1985 in Fort Lauderdale and together they looked for a church home. Mark and Tracy joined Bethany Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, now Rio Vista Church, in 1986, and, except for a few years when they lived in Delray Beach, Rio Vista remained their church family. Mark served as an elder and lay Bible teacher for many years. Mark’s son Kyle was born in 1994 and daughter Amy in 1996.

Mark’s diverse experience in technology and audio production all came together when Rio Vista Church decided to launch a radio show produced from the sermons of Pastor Tom Hendrikse, and then the church and Bethany Christian School found themselves in need of a Director of Technology. Mark joined the staff at Rio Vista as Director of Technology and then Director of Communications. He edited and produced the radio show, “Hope with Tom Hendrikse.” As he had done in his other technology positions, he fixed broken systems, improved the networks, and vetted the technology vendors until the systems ran well with little attention. He kept the website fresh and useful. He guided the first video livestreaming system and phone app. He then was free to work more on communications, including writing daily personal worship devotionals and co-hosting the podcast “Out of Water” with Sam Kastensmidt. He loved the podcast and loved teaching the Word.

Mark was diagnosed with metastatic kidney cancer in July and entered treatment. Although there were good signs that the treatment was effective in pushing back the cancer, Mark suffered heart failure on December 12. Mark is survived by his wife, Tracy, son Kyle and daughter-in-law Rebecca (Roberts), daughter Amy Lopez and son-in-law Jordan Lopez, his parents, Sandra and Alvin Lautenschlager, his brothers Keith Lautenschlager and Bruce Lautenschlager and their families and extended family.

A service of worship and celebration of the life of Mark Lautenschlager will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at 2:00 at Rio Vista Church, 880 South Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33316. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rio Vista Church or to Hope South Florida.

https://riovistachurch.com/

https://www.hopesouthflorida.org/