Jerre "Mark" Fair

He was preceded in death by his parents, Naaman and Mabel Sims Fair; his siblings Ben Fair, Betty Jane Fair Junkin, and Stephen Naaman Fair; and his nephews Steve Junkin, Robert Fair, and Jonathan Satcher.

He is survived by his wife and best friend of 43 years, Leslie Susan Fair; his daughter, Katie Elizabeth Fair (Travis Graf); his faithful dog, Layla; his sisters, Josephine Fair Satcher McNees and Sara Fair Belcher and Brother-in-law Clifford Junkin; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mark was born at home in Gordo, Alabama, on April 11, 1953. He carried a creative spirit with him from the beginning, and it stayed with him throughout his life.

Music was where it first took shape. He began in Tuscaloosa with a local band called Mellow Feel, where he met musician Claire Lynch. Their partnership led to “Hills of Alabama” and other songs recorded by the Front Porch String Band. Years later, that same song was recorded by Kathy Mattea on the award-winning album Willow in the Wind, earning Mark a gold record and a place in music that would carry on.

In time, his life settled in Montgomery, where his artistry found new expression. He worked as a billboard painter before founding Mark Fair Signs in 1986. Over the years, his work became part of the River Region itself. His lettering and designs could be seen on storefronts, trucks, and signs across the area, including the downtown clock that still keeps its time.

Mark never stopped learning or sharing what he knew. In the 1990s, he became a founding member of Creative Signmakers of America, an online community of sign artists, and later served as its president. He was known for teaching his “crackle method,” a technique for creating antique-style signs, and for the generosity with which he shared his craft. Through Flying Biscuit Antique Signs and features in SignCraft Magazine, his work reached far beyond his hometown.

Mark and Susan were kindred spirits in every sense. Their love was rooted in music, in creativity, and in a quiet understanding of one another that never needed words. They played and created side by side, moving through life in harmony, each knowing they had found the one their hearts had been waiting for. There was an ease to their life together, something steady and sure, a closeness that never wavered. They were rarely apart, and when they were, they carried one another with them. The album they recorded together remains a reflection of that bond and the life they built, note by note, together, a lasting echo of the love they shared.

Faith was not something separate from his life. It was part of who he was. At Frazer United Methodist Church, he used his gifts to serve the Lord, creating scripture displays and a mural for the youth worship space. He came to faith as a young Royal Ambassador in Gordo and carried it with him always. In his final days, he said with certainty, “My Jesus is real. I know where I am going.”

Those who knew Mark will remember more than what he did. They will remember how he was: a devoted husband, a proud father, and a steady, quiet presence in the lives of others. He had a gentle humor and a way of putting people at ease, offering encouragement without ever needing attention in return.

He leaves behind the spirit of his creativity, the strength of his faith, and the love he gave so freely.

And in the days ahead, when his voice is missed and his place at the table sits empty, it will be the quiet, everyday things that are felt most: the way he was always there when it mattered, the steady way he cared for the people he loved, and the way his presence alone could settle a room and make things feel alright again.

That is how he will be carried forward, not just in memory, but in the lives he steadied, the burdens he helped lift, and the love he left behind.

He will be deeply missed.

Memorial contributions can be made to Frazer Free Methodist Church or the American Cancer Society.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Leak Memory Funeral Home on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m., with the service following at 2:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery.