April 24, 1968 – August 11, 2026

Mark Andrew Trettel was a remarkable man whose presence was impossible to overlook or
forget. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, friend, entrepreneur, veteran, healer,
writer, musician, filmmaker, chef, bicyclist, and creator—but above all, he was a man who
loved deeply, lived fully, and made the people around him feel important.

Born April 24, 1968, and raised in Crystal, MN, Mark grew up surrounded by family and developed the loyalty, determination, humor, and strong sense of purpose that would define his life. He attended the University of Wyoming on a full wrestling scholarship, studying Biology and Business. He later served five years in the United States Army’s Military Intelligence Division, which took him across Europe, Asia, Central America, and the Middle East.

After the military, Mark returned to Laramie, WY, where he spent 15 years with WyoTech
Trade School overseeing recruitment. More than a job, it was a calling. Mark believed in
young people and understood that a trade could change the direction of a person’s life. He
took enormous pride in helping young adults find their path and build a future.

Mark eventually made his way to Fayetteville, GA, where he met the love of his life, Caryn.
Together they built a life filled with adventure, laughter, creativity, animals, good food, and
an abundance of love.

Mark was the quintessential Renaissance man. He was endlessly curious and always creating.
He wrote, published, made music, produced videos and films, and ran three YouTube
channels. He had a gift for turning ordinary moments into something memorable. He called it
“Markarizing”—adding more sound, making the colors brighter, adding snow, or simply
finding a way to make something more fun.

For 18 years, Mark was Owner & Clinic Director of a top Health & Wellness Clinic. His
approach to people was much more than healthcare. He made every person feel as though
they were the most important person in the room. If he was speaking with someone and his
phone rang, he would simply ignore it. If they asked, “Aren’t you going to get that?” Mark
would answer, “No. You are here, and you are the most important to me right now.” It was
the heart of his philosophy: WIN—What’s Important Now.

Mark also created Beautiful Earth Organics, a coffee shop & community center where coffee,
tea & his in-house baked goods were served, becoming much more than a coffee shop.
People gathered there, celebrated, got engaged, worked on dissertations, and made memories.
Recognizing what Mark created, the community voted it Best Coffee Shop in Fayette County.

He loved adventure and never needed a fancy destination to have one. Mark and Caryn
preferred the winding back roads, the unexpected stops, and the little hole-in-the-wall places
that could become a story. When they saw a restaurant or food stand that looked interesting,
Mark would say, “Let’s take a flyer. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.” And they
did. One of their favorite philosophies was, “It’s better to have a hotdog at the ballpark than a
steak at the Ritz.”

He cared deeply about healthy food, organic ingredients, and making meals for the people he
loved. They had a tradition known as “Lazy Lou Saturdays,” when Mark made his famous
rhubarb pancakes, and if he “Markarized” them, there was plenty of ghee and syrup—and
always enough left for the next day.

Mark loved Minnesota and remained a devoted fan of the Timberwolves, Vikings, and the
original North Stars.

Mark’s greatest creation was the life and love he built with Caryn, and the family they shared.
He adored their two cats. They completed Mark & Caryn’s family, and he created a beautiful
video celebrating their life together. Their home was filled with the little routines and private
jokes that made their life uniquely theirs. There was the daily question: “Have I told you I
love you today?” Caryn would smile and answer, “Umm, I don’t think so.” & Mark would
respond, “Well, I love you.” Caryn would giggle and say, “I love you too.” Their private
language was a reflection of something much bigger.

Mark was a man people could count on. His friends were extraordinarily important to him. If
someone needed him, he would drop everything and be there. He was jovial, uplifting, full of
laughter, but when life became difficult, he was the person you wanted in your foxhole.
When Mark entered a room, he brought an energy that people felt immediately. He was a
natural leader and people looked to him for guidance and answers. He had an enormous
heart, a wonderful sense of humor, and a rare ability to make people feel seen.

That was Mark. He didn’t just tell you he loved you. He showed up.

Mark once wrote about the life he & Caryn built together:

“Life is not what they try to sell you, not private jets, fake gurus, people screaming into a
microphone about grinding harder. A real life—our life—is a wife you still love after 18
years, two insane cats, a Catio kingdom outside, a peaceful home, good food, a quiet night
and enough emotional balance to laugh at life a little. Sometimes it’s not the big things that
hold a home together, sometimes it’s tiny routines, shared meals, inside jokes, cats in
windows, warm food and knowing the people inside that house actually want to be there.”

Those words were them. They understood what mattered, a life filled with love, laughter,
adventure, and the certainty that they wanted to be right there, together.

His legacy will live on in the people he helped, the young lives he influenced, the patients he
cared for, the friends who could always count on him, the family he loved, the countless
things he created, and in the hearts of everyone who ever received one of his enormous bear
hugs.

He leaves behind not simply memories, but pieces of himself in all of us.

 

And somewhere, I know, Mark is still laughing, still creating, still making everything just a

little brighter—and asking one more time:

“Have I told you I love you today?”

Yes, Mark.

You did. Every day. And you always will.

 

Mark was preceded in death by his mother, Karen; his brother, Dennis, his maternal
grandparents, William & Laura Emholtz; his maternal uncle, William Emholtz; and his
nephew, Myles Carroll.

He is survived by his beloved wife and best friend, Dr. Caryn Grzesiakowski; his daughter,
Amelia; his brother & sister-in-law John & Peggy (Lewis); his sister & brother-in-law Julie & Lynn (Smyers); as well as several nieces & nephews, great nieces & nephews, Aunts, Uncles and dear friends who loved him deeply.

A Celebration of Mark’s Life:

A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy
Trinity Catholic Church, 101 Walt Banks Road, Peachtree City, Georgia 30269, followed
by a reception.

For those unable to travel, the Funeral Mass will be livestreamed so that family and friends
may still be part of the celebration of Mark’s life. To join the livestream, please click the following link.   https://www.youtube.com/live/pyY7kf6vIDk?si=aPtlKWwGXe8MyfKn

Mark will not be laid to rest here in Georgia. At a later date, he will return to Minnesota and
will be interred at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis with full military
honors. His final journey home will bring him back to the place where his remarkable
journey began.