Mark William LaCourse, of Waterboro, died on Sept. 4, 2024, with his family by his side at Maine Medical Center. Mark died of complications from a stroke he suffered after having heart surgery in early July.

Mark was born Sept. 28, 1951, in Lewiston, a loving son of Roland A. LaCourse and Frances Mary Korytko LaCourse.

Mark was a 1970 graduate of Cape Elizabeth High School. In 1972, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served a short stint in Vietnam as a flight airman, specializing in Cryogenics. He was stationed at various Air Force bases which included Alaska, Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine, and Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was honorably discharged in 1976.

Following his discharge, Mark worked at Airco Industrial Gases in Selkirk, New York, now known as Linde, in the field of Cryogenics, which he specialized in when serving in the military. Mark transferred after a couple of years to its office in South Portland, where he retired after more than 40 years of dedicated service.

Mark enjoyed everything outdoors until his later years when his health declined. He loved to snowmobile and hunt. He loved boating and spent many summers with his family on Sebago Lake.

Mark’s love of riding motorcycles kept him going in the second half of his life. He loved his Harley’s and participated in several charity rides in support of the military and Veteran’s causes. He just absolutely loved to ride his Harley’s.

Mark also had a huge passion for trains, planes, and anything history related. He would talk about history to anyone that would listen to him. He was also very passionate about football, especially his Indianapolis Colts and his favorite college team, Notre Dame. He would debate football again with anyone that would listen or partake in a conversation about the NFL or college football stats and players.

Mark was also a very dedicated and passionate softball coach to his daughter’s summer softball teams for many years. As a coach, he was known for his intensity and loud, boisterous voice that could be heard bellowing across the fields.

He coached the Shaker Valley Senior League All-Star Team to the State Championship in 1999. He was so proud of his players and coaching staff for this accomplishment.

Mark loved attending the Massabesic Varsity Football games in the 1990s. He quickly identified that MHS district needed to have a youth program and was a huge proponent and advocate for this. He and a group of people in the district founded the Massabesic Area Youth Football & Cheering Program (MAYFAC) which still exists today.

Mark was so proud to be part of starting the group and board members. He also coached some of the youth football players and would watch as these young men moved along in their careers. He was thrilled that he got the chance to help these kids improve their skills.

Just a small sidenote about Mark and his personality; As a young boy, he lived in El Segundo, California, where the former Kansas City Royal’s player, George Brett was from. My dad and his friends and cousins would tell George he was too small and not good enough to play with them. George Brett certainly showed them that he could play! Mark’s mother also babysat George when he was a small boy while they lived in California.

Mark was preceded in death by: his father and mother, Roland LaCourse and Frances Mary Korytko LaCourse: and his older brother, Rodney LaCourse.

Mark is survived by; his younger brother, Jeffrey LaCourse, of Cape Elizabeth and Virginia; his daughter, Jeanette Garvilles-Andrews and her spouse Brian Andrews, of Saco; a granddaughter, Isabella Garvilles, of Saco; and various cousins that live across the country.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Mark’s memory to the Wounded Warrior Project or the Maine Veteran’s Project, which helps to fight against Veteran suicide.

A service will be held at noon on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, at the Southern Maine Veteran’s Cemetery, 83 Stanley Rd. in Springvale, Maine.

To share memories of Mark or to leave his family an online condolence please visit, dobsonfuneralservices.com