Fox

Mark Alan Fox was a gentle man. Everyone enjoyed having Mark around. He had a great sense of humor, but he especially enjoyed the offhand ironic phrase. His usual words of farewell to family and friends after a get-together were, "Behave yourself!"

Mark was born with Down syndrome, but lived a happy, productive life. He received his early skills training at a state school in Selinsgrove, Snyder County. Additional training at another state school in Cresson helped him live a nearly independent life.

His working career was with the PARC production-workshop in Butler. There, he and other men and women with developmental disabilities worked each day on industrial contracts with industry. Their work involved such tasks as the cleaning electronic equipment, the sorting and bagging of electronic components and the inspection and packaging of consumer products.

Mark passed away Friday at the Kittanning Care Center in Kittanning, one day after his 59th birthday. He died of rapidly metastasizing cancer.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents, J. Lawrence "Larnie" and Mary Hannah (McNaughton) Fox; and by his oldest brother, Lawrence William "Larnie" Fox, all of Slippery Rock.

Mark is survived by his sister, Rosanne M. Kern of Portland, Ore.; his brother, John H. Fox of Nashville, Tenn.; and by many much-loved nieces and nephews.

Mark, Mark's parents and siblings were born and raised in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County. The latter years of Mark's adult life were spent with the Rose family, Marlin and Beverly, in Butler. They truly became his second family.

<B>FOX</B> — All services for Mark Alan Fox, who died Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, will be for the family only.Arrangements are by <B>Smith Funeral Home</B> 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock.Mark's family would be grateful if Mark were honored with donations to Arc of Butler County, Pullman Commerce Center, 112 Hollywood Drive, Suite 202, Butler, PA 16001.