Mark Joseph Gyan

Just after midnight, on Friday, May 22nd, as one day gave way to a new day, the Good Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ, safely carried Mark Joseph Gyan into the Eternal Day.

Mark is the second child and the oldest son of Joseph and Irene Gyan. He was born just outside of Detroit, Michigan. The Gyan family roots are in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. After Mark’s dad completed his degree in chemistry, he took a job with Ethyl Corporation and he and his wife, Irene, began their family in Michigan. Mark and Mary, his oldest sister, were both born there. After a few years, our dad moved into a different job with Ethyl Corporation which required them to move all the way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There the Gyan family would lay new roots and soon three more children, Edie, Eric, and Joe were added to the family.

Mark completed his primary education at the Gyan’s new church parish, St. Thomas More Catholic Church. He is a 1972 graduate of Broadmoor High School and then received his bachelor degree in Quantitative Methods (QM) from LSU. Mark worked for a number of years with Albertsons Grocery Stores as well as in the field of Financial Investments. But in the second half of his life, his heart was captured by his love for Our Lord and His Church and he entered the seminary to study for the priesthood.

Mark loved the life of prayer and the community life of the seminary and he conscientiously entered into his studies. But after completing 3rd Theology, Mark suffered two major health crises: a heart attack and then the diagnosis of an aggressive form of Parkinson’s Disease. The latter made it necessary for Mark to resign from the seminary and give up his dream of becoming a priest. With a humble and selfless faith, Mark bore this disappointment, and the Lord transformed this personal cross into an opportunity for Mark to provide live-in care for our mom and dad in their final years. What a blessing this was for our mom and dad and for our whole family.

Mark humbly and patiently continued to bear the crosses of this terrible disease for fifteen years. We trust and are filled with hope that as he was united in faith to the Cross of Christ, so does he now share in His Resurrection and New Life.

Mark is survived by siblings, Mary Gyan Coco, Edie Gyan Parnell, Fr. Eric Gyan, Joe Gyan, Jr. (Pamela); nieces Penny Gyan Flores (Rafael), Emily Gyan Rothlisberger (Kevin) and nephew Josh Parnell (Sara); great-nephews Abel Flores, Pierce Rothlisberger, and Chancellor Hoalt; great-nieces Ella Rose Flores and Leah Hoalt.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Gyan, Sr. and Irene Hoffman Gyan; and brother-in-law Jack Coco.

To honor Mark’s life and faith, in lieu of flowers, we invite you to make any memorial contributions you choose to the St. Jean Vianney Building Fund or to the Diocese of Baton Rouge Seminarian Fund.

A Mass of Christian burial, celebrated by Fr. Eric Gyan, will be held for Mark on Friday, May 29th, at 11:00 AM at St. Jean Vianney Catholic Church. Visitation will be from 9:30 – 11:00 AM.