Howard Mark Anderson

Howard Mark Anderson left this world for his heavenly home on Friday, October 3, 2025, at Tristate Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, TN, from complications of throat cancer. The firstborn son of Howard and Sonya Williams Anderson, of Ash/Calabash, NC, he was born December 13, 1977, in Catawba, NC. His paternal grandparents were the late Marion Dewey and Pearl Ward Anderson of Calabash, NC. His maternal grandparents were the late Eugene and Martha Elma Porter Williams of Raeford, NC.

Mark attended West Brunswick High School and then graduated from West Christian Academy, in Shallotte, NC. in 1997. After school, he worked at Brunswick Plantation as a chef. Spending a brief time in Wilmington, NC, he decided to move to Los Angeles, California to pursue his music career. While there, he worked with several bands. Revelation Kill Pill was his favorite band he helped form with Jake Newkirk, and Shay Keefer, who became his lifelong friends and collaborators in music and video. They played at LA venues, like the famous Cat Club on Sunset Strip. He also played backup for several other musicians and singers, one of which was Nadia Turner from American Idol, who asked him to back her up on stage. Mark had a sophisticated ear and a great passion for rock and roll but also the blues, jazz, and gospel, and was exploring classical guitar. As he grew as an artist, he went on to work on music and sound editing for various film, theatre and commercial projects, such ads for Doritos. Again, wanting to expand his skills he trained for AV and was hired to work with the AV Masters company, travelling the country creating the sets and technical aspects for many corporate events and other big projects, like the California Science Fair. Out of that, his interests and skills expanded even further, and he received tech degrees from both Treehouse and Google, as an UX/UI designer. He was well loved and respected by his co-workers and anyone who had the opportunity to work with him. He was admired by his friends, who he inspired artistically, philosophically and spiritually. Wanting to be closer to his family, Mark moved to Nashville, Tn. In Nashville, he was composing and writing his own music with intentions of recording, also working freelance as a UX/UI designer for various companies. Some of his inspirations can be seen on his YouTube Channel, Guitar Mix Vids, https://youtu.be/qyhCxH9IGGQ?si=0oP5RnRo04ZYNBIO . Because he was an avid fan, while in Nashville, he also volunteered at The Gilda Radner Club, a support center for cancer patients. Aside from all those talents and skills, Mark was also an incredibly talented sketch artist. He showed extreme talent at the early age of 5 with his first-class artwork. His earliest teacher, local artist Ken Buckner, said he was the most gifted technical artist he had ever taught.

Mark is survived by his parents, Howard and Sonya Williams Anderson of Ash/Calabash, NC. His younger brother, Kevin Anderson, wife Karen, his Aunt Bettylien (Betty) Williams Smith, His Aunt Linda Williams Sims, his Uncle Harold Williams, wife Cathy and their children his cousins, Dale Williams, his wife Catherine, Brannon Smith, Michael S. Sims, Drew Williams, wife Taylor Jane, Angel Williams, and Greg Williams, wife Annette, and their children.

Mark is survived by his paternal relatives:

His cousins Paula McLamb Smith, Keith Smith, Nancy S. Smith, DL Anderson, Rhiannon, Justin & Mason Ilumin, and his extended family, Gary, Matt, and Nikki Reaves; Plus, his “framily", all over the world far too many to name. And finally, his two caregivers, Vanessa Jasso and Karen Ayers, his earth angels. He truly left his mark. Always the seeker of the truth, always an avid reader, hungry for answers, he was the observer, the listener, the philosopher, the spiritualist and all who met him surely learned incredibly wise lessons. There is no doubt he is now playing music with his buddy, Jake, for Jesus.

Services will be held Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church,1010 Hickman Rd NW, Calabash, NC 28467 starting with visitation at 1:30 PM, Funeral Service at 3 PM, followed by a graveside service at the adjacent McLamb Anderson Cemetery. Pall Bearers will be Brannon Smith, Drew Williams, Michael Sims, Matt MacDonald, Michael Didyoung, Matt Reaves, Jonathan Troll, Christian Thompkins, Brett Haley, Ed Reaves and John Reaves. Lee Funeral Home of Little River, S.C. is assisting with donations, and should be made in lieu of flowers, to the Glida’s Club Foundation Middle Tennessee, 1707 Division St., Nashville Tn, 37203 , website: https://gildasclubmiddletn.org/about-us/