Mark Rombach

It’s hard to think of any phrase that adequately describes Mark, but “passionately compassionate” might be a start. He and Bonnie were exceptionally close, and happy together and they knit Benjamin and Annie into the nest when they arrived in 1999 and 2001. Bonnie says that during their time together, she never met anyone who didn’t like him. He was always helping others quietly, making sure that everyone else was taken care of first. He could make anything with wood after years of working as a carpenter and improved each house they lived in. He was loving and beloved. Mark was the second of five children in his family. All the warmth and care from his parents, Scott and Marty Rombach and the love of his four siblings, Tim, Mike, Kate and Dan created a man who never did anything he couldn’t be proud of – he was hardworking and incapable of doing less than his best. He was the family peacemaker, the quiet one, the sole introvert among the five, but he loved to laugh and would enjoy kidding around with anyone he met. He would throw his head back and enjoy the laugh and occasionally transition into a special laugh that was his alone. He was not above a Dad joke and everyone in the family really enjoyed bringing things to him that they hoped would make him laugh. People were drawn to him because he knew how to listen, help, and withhold judgement. He was the one behind the scenes, carrying, cooking, and completing whatever crazy thing Bonnie asked for. Mark and Bonnie met when he came to do an estimate for some carpentry work and stayed and talked for hours. He later told her that he didn’t ever really “talk to customers.” They knew that they were meant to be together and started building a joyful and loving partnership that came to include Benjamin and Annie. He excelled as a father and cherished the role and the children. One of his nicknames was “Mr. Safety,” because he was always making sure no one was doing anything unsafe. “Wutch, Wutch,” he’d say, to alert us of even the smallest danger. He was very protective and the champion of the underdog. He made sure that no one was going to be mistreated or taken advantage of when he was around, so he was always a comfort to us. Even watching TV, it was hard for him to see sad news about people who were suffering. He’d make this little sound, kind of like a non-verbal “aw” and you knew how much sympathy he was feeling. He was always learning something new. Even when technology frustrated him, as it often did, he managed to increase his skills steadily to do whatever the job required. Others sought him out because they always knew they would get a thoughtful response. He had a calming effect and could step into a group and find common ground. He also, though, made sure the things that needed to get said did get said and was not afraid of speaking up or out, if he felt it was needed. He kept up with pop culture and music to connect with his children and suffered a lot fewer eye rolls than most other parents. Annie and Benjamin always wanted to spend time with him and were happy to just hang out with their dad. He had very special, individual relationships with both of them. He was willing to do anything and be anywhere his family needed. Large groups were never his thing, and you would see him gravitate toward the children in any group, who loved having him around as much as he enjoyed being with them. Bonnie often worked with young children and he was always with her, helping get things ready before, helping during, and cleaning up after. Finally, he was the best partner a wife could ever hope for. They knew that they would always have each other’s best interest at heart and had a great amount of trust and faith in each other. He regularly thanked her for finding him and she thanked him for always being there for her. He was loving and attentive without exception and was always willing to share the needs of parenting and life together. They loved each other with the kind of love that didn’t wane over the years and whose strength kept them loving and in love through the whole time they spent together. His support was the air we all breathed and we are finding it hard to imagine life going on without him. ************* In honor of Mark’s love for children and helping others, in lieu of flowers, you may wish to contact NCTLC.org or call 919.832.3909. TLC helps children and adults of all abilities and is where Bonnie had just started working in their inclusion pre-k program. Bonnie has specifically requested that people share stories about Mark, their time with Mark, or something he did or said, or was to them. She hopes that these memories and reflections will be a treasure for those who loved him. Given the current conditions of the pandemic, we will not be gathering in a typical celebration of life. A celebration of Mark's life will be held on Thursday, August 26 at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom. Please click on the "Watch Event" tab at the bottom of the online obituary; or by copying and pasting the following in your brower: https://nccumc.zoom.us/j/92823285729?pwd=b2x4a1Q2RnFTUGloTUcrRmZwTGkvUT09#success Arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Garner. Online condolences, stories, and memories may be shared on Mark's Tribute Wall at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com