On January 23, 2023 our beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend Mark “Markle Sparkle” Driscoll went to be with our Lord in his home in Bozeman, MT after a valiant fight with multiple sclerosis. Mark lived with Eddie and Iris and their children in Bozeman since 2004 for which Mark was eternally grateful. Mark was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when he was 20-years old and by the age of 40 he was dependent upon a wheelchair to help navigate. All through his life, Mark developed solutions to his difficult circumstances in life and created businesses out of his ideas, hoping to help others in similar situations. While living in Washington, he created New Beginnings to encourage those with new needs to help each other with their individual strengths. In Montana, he created Sparkling Possibilities to help the disabled find ways to be active.
Later on, Mark was a peer advocate worker for the Montana Independent Living Program (MILP), a nonprofit that promotes independence for people with disabilities. Mark used his computer to actively fight for himself and the many other Montanans with disabilities and Mark spoke in front of the legislature on several occasions fighting for additional funding for home care so that he and others could remain independent.
Mark was a tremendous God-loving optimistic man who was loved by all that came to know him and he chose to make the best of things on his journey. Many were inspired by him to make the best of difficult situations. Mark chose to make his life exhilarating and not debilitating; his mantra for beating his MS was “pain is inevitable, but growth is optional.” Mark was an avid fisherman and hunter in his early years living in Montana and more recently invested in a track wheelchair which allowed him to return to the wilderness to hunt whitetail deer in Southwest Montana. Mark constructed bird houses in his garage in Bozeman as his hobby and enjoyed building garden beds and growing vegetables. Mark had a tremendous love for music and enjoyed listening to every genre, but was still true to his roots, 70’s rock and roll. He attended many concerts back in the day with his wife Christy, close friends and his younger brothers. Mark enjoyed the numerous family celebrations at The Driscoll Home in Bozeman where he could reunite with his children, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, brothers and sister each summer. Mark also reconnected many times over the years with all of his closest Butte friends and would celebrate with a few pints and a lot of laughs in Butte and Bozeman.
Mark was born the third child of five on November 11, 1956 in Butte, Montana to Bob and Mary Driscoll. Mark was raised in Butte and graduated from Butte Central in 1975. He went on to marry his high school sweetheart Christy Wathen. Mark and Christy had two beautiful children who were the love of their lives: son Jeremy and daughter Kote. They lived in Butte and Missoula and then moved to Washington in 1986 where Mark transferred for work. Mark enjoyed watching his children grow through school and would attend all of their life events, including Kote’s graduation from WSU. Mark was a very successful businessman and was the Manager for Thurman’s Plumbing and Electrical in Butte, Missoula, and in Mt. Vernon WA for over a 15- year period, and received consecutive Manager of the Year awards for his and his team’s accomplishments.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents Bob and Mary Driscoll, his close friend and ex-wife Christy Driscoll who passed away on January 14, 2023 after a year-long courageous battle with cancer, and his brother-in-law Dan Gregier who passed away in October 2022.
Mark is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Jeremy and Debbie Driscoll; and his granddaughter, Kylie all of MT Vernon, WA; and his daughter and son-in-law, Kote and John Kirkaldie; and his two grandchildren Charlie and Cohen of Taupo, New Zealand.
In addition to his children and grandchildren, Mark leaves behind his brothers and sister-in-laws, Eddie and Iris Driscoll, Joe and Patti Driscoll, Rev. Fr. Michael Driscoll, and his sister Sherrie Gregier, as well as his aunt Jan Driscoll, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends.
Mark also had the best caregivers and the family will forever be grateful for all who helped him through the years, especially Marge, Bethany, Bob, Jodi and Teri. The family asks all who would like to please make donations to the Montana Independent Living Program in Bozeman, MT or the National MS Society in Mark’s name.
A celebration of Mark’s life will be held at a later date this year and an announcement giving the details will be posted.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com
Rest in peace Markle Sparkle. Your journey here on earth is complete.
