Mark Jefferson Lyon passed away peacefully Tuesday in the company of his wife and children at the age of 63.

Mark was born in Marin County, California, and grew up in Utah, the second of Tom and Jan Lyon’s three sons. He would later describe his childhood as close to idyllic, with his parents passing along a deep intellectual curiosity along with a profound love of nature.

Mark moved back to California following his graduation from Whitman College. He met his future wife Susan while working at a small software company. They married in 1991 and founded Lyon & Associates, a creative services firm in San Diego’s north county. A gifted writer and filmmaker, Mark promoted many of the region’s most recognizable companies and nonprofits.

Lyon & Associates developed especially deep ties to healthcare, research, and advocacy throughout the state, yet Mark measured the company’s success in terms of what it did for its employees: the homes people purchased, the families they started, the kids they sent to college.

Mark scored his own life in similar fashion, taking the most pride in his 33-year marriage to Susan and their two adult children, Nick and Jake. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2012, yet continued to work, surf, and donate his talents to charitable causes for many years afterward.

Predeceased by his older brother Max in 1999, Mark is survived by Susan, Nick, and Jake Lyon; his daughter-in-law Brittany Cavazos; his younger brother Dave Lyon; and his parents, Tom and Jan Lyon. 

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