Mark Raymond Gregoire

Gregoire, Mark Raymond, 66, of Coral Springs, passed away Saturday, January 7, 2012 after a brave, five and a half year battle with pancreatic cancer. Mark was born in Ithaca, New York on July 7, 1945 to Kathleen and John Gregoire. Mark was the youngest boy of seven children and the third in his family to pass away from pancreatic cancer. His brother, Peter Gregoire, Peter's wife, Pat and his sisters, Emily Gregoire Huttar and Charlotte Gregoire Kramer were with Mark when he passed away. Mark is survived by his wife, Nancy Jean Wood Gregoire and daughters, Stephanie Jean Toothaker, her husband Peter Kemp and son, Wyeth-Parker Raymond Kemp and Meredith Ellen Gregoire Tomassi, her husband, Ronald Tomassi Jr., son, Ronald Joseph "Trey" Tomassi III and daughter, Ella Jean Tomassi, all of whom were also by Mark's side when he left this life to be with his God. Mark served his country in Vietnam and was awarded several medals during his tour there. After his discharge, he earned a degree in accounting from Fort Lauderdale College and for 30 years, owned and operated Atlantic Bicycle in Margate, Florida. During those years, he also created and operated one of the early internet cycling supply sites, BikePartsUSA.com. Mark was very active and well-known in the cycling community and sponsored many cycling teams over the years. Mark was a devout Roman Catholic and an active member of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Coral Springs, serving for years as an Eucharistic minister and in the St. Andrew Men's Club. Mark was blessed by God and the remarkable health care providers at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, who gave him the spiritual, mental and physical ability to live for five and a half years after his diagnosis. Fewer than 6% of those diagnosed with this awful disease are so fortunate. During those years, Mark lived to see the births of his three grandchildren, to travel broadly and to enjoy life to the fullest. He also worked as a volunteer with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to help others stricken with the disease. Above all else, Mark was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend. Everyone who knew him held him in the highest regard as a kind, gentle and loving man. His family and friends will miss him but take comfort in knowing he has gone to a better place where we will all see him again one day. The family will receive friends on Monday, January 9, 2012, 5:00 - 8:00pm at Kraeer Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 1655 University Drive, Coral Springs, FL 33071. A Mass of Christian Rite will be held Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 10:00am at St. Andrew Catholic Church, 9950 NW 29th Street, Coral Springs, FL 33065. Following the Mass, the family invites friends to a celebration of Mark's life at his home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Mark's memory to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, California 92066.