Mark Eugene Bacon

Mark Bacon, 71, died peacefully on December 5, 2023 with family and friends by his side at St. Joseph Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Mark was a proud, life-long resident of Kansas City and graduated from Southwest High School in the Class of 1972. While at Southwest, Mark won a number of poetry-writing contests. Following his graduation, Mark successfully completed a hospital services vocational training program and began his career with Menorah Medical Center at its former location on Troost Avenue. When Menorah moved to Johnson County, Mark continued his career with St. Joseph Medical Center where he was employed for over 30 years.

Throughout Mark’s years at St. Joseph Medical Center, he became known as a kind, dependable and hardworking co-worker who received the Employee of the Month Award several times. He developed many close relationships with his medical and non-medical colleagues. Every time Mark was at St. Jo for various appointments after retiring, he received hugs and warm greetings from many of his former colleagues. He was fondly remembered and admired by his St. Jo colleagues, some of whom were there with him on December 5.

Mark was a member of Elks Lodge No. 26 during his adult life where he enjoyed seeing family and friends and participating in holiday activities. Mark had a keen artistic talent, particularly as a sketch artist and painter. He was especially gifted as a caricature artist and could quickly sketch a comic illustration of the Marx Brothers on paper, a napkin, or any surface with uncanny accuracy and speed. Mark was an Elvis Presley fan but enjoyed a wide variety of music from Nat King Cole to Garth Brooks. He spent many Saturday evenings swing dancing with his friends. He loved old movies but was particularly fond of westerns and was a diehard John Wayne fan. He enjoyed a variety of activities during his lifetime including bowling, golf, chess, and card games (particularly cribbage).

Mark was predeceased by his parents, Cathy and Jack Lyon; and his brother, John Patrick Lyon.

He is survived by his sister, Vicki (Charley) Boyd; nieces Amy Lyon (Rid Hogue), and Mallory Boyd; nephew Adam Boyd; great niece, Alissa House; Aunt Lucille Isham; sister-in-law, Lori Edington-Lyon; Mark’s enduring friend and advocate, Jill Truitt; and Mark’s long-time friend, Debbie Morrison.

Mark loved his cousins from around our country: Bill, Steve and Grey Isham (Illinois); Cheryl Eklund (Wisconsin); Danny Sheehan (Wyoming); Judy Rodda, Patrick Sheehan, and Jimmy Albert Sheehan (originally from St. Joseph, MO); Doris Gruwell (Kansas); Paula Maiden (California); Jill LeCrone (California); and Pat Jacobson (Oklahoma).

A Celebration of Life for Mark will be held at his Elks Lodge No. 26 on January 5, 2024, between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Lodge address: 515 E 99th Street Kansas City MO 64131

Mark was a dog lover so in lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested for:

Great Plains SPCA

https://www.greatplainsspca.org/donate/

5428 Antioch Drive, Merriam, KS 66202