Mark David Keesling

Mark David Keesling passed away suddenly in his sleep at home on Friday, February 27, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 8, 1963 to Joseph R. and Sue A. (Evans) Keesling. He is predeceased by his mother, and survived by father Joseph R. Keesling, brother Joseph R. Keesling II (wife Mary), nephew Paul J. Keesling, cousin Jana Lee Keesling, many Keesling & Evans cousins, and many cherished and beloved friends.

Mark was a flight attendant with United Airlines for 29 years, retiring only recently. He lived in Chicago (Schaumburg, IL) and later in Las Vegas, flying for United from those cities. While living in Orlando, he flew for United from Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas. He flew internationally to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. From earliest childhood, his only desire was to be a flight attendant.

Mark was an accomplished pianist and loved to play pop music and sing at the drop of a hat.

Mark’s passions in life were his family; his childhood friend Sharla Guinn; his many dear flight attendant friends and his next-door neighbors in Chicago, Nevada, and Orlando; his dog Max and cat Missy Crystal Kitty; music groups ABBA, The Partridge Family, and The Carpenters; and tv shows ‘Lost in Space’ and ‘Space 1999’.

He attended Walker Junior High & Oak Ridge High School in Orlando, where he played clarinet in band and where he played piano for the jazz choir. He earned a B.A. in Mass Communications from Univ. of Central Florida.

Mark loved everyone he met except for badly behaved airline passengers. He will be badly missed by his family and friends.

Inurnment (burial of ashes) will take place Sat. March 5, 2016 at 3 PM at (WOODLAWN GOTHA info HERE)

and a festive Celebration of Life will be held Sat. March 19 from 2-4 pm at the same location.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to SPCAFlorida (www.spcaflorida.org).