Mark Jenkins

My Story Mark DWayne Jenkins Corinthians 4:16-18 "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." Mark DWayne Jenkins was born on July 10, 1970, to his parents, Johnny Jenkins, Jr. and Sharon Major in Denver, Colorado. He was raised surrounded by his brothers, Gary, Johnny and his sister, Jaquay. As a child, he was known as the "class clown" and was often scolded about his behavior. He was an adventurous young man and enjoyed spending the night at his best friends L.C.'s house. Mark received his fundamental education by attending Sproul Elementary, Widefield Junior High School and graduated from East High School. It was while in school, he met L.C., Gary and Adrian; they have been lifelong friends. He furthered his education by attending Devry University. In May of 2003, Mark enlisted in the Colorado National Guard. He was assigned to the Logistics Unit of the United States Army located on Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado. He was very proud to serve his country and took his duty assignment seriously. He thought of his military unit members both past and present as family. He went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure each soldier was taken care of and received what they needed. He was a dedicated military member who performed his duties with a spirit of excellence. During his military career, he received numerous awards, citations, medals, and certificates for his meritorious service. At the time of his passing, he continued to serve his country and had attained the rank of a SFC (E7). On June 23, 2008, Mark united in holy matrimony to the former Darlene Ashley. The exchange vows in Ocho Rios Jamaica. Darlene remembers their first meeting in September of 2007. She reflects, "Once we met, our lives merged together and we became a family and things couldn't have been better." She also fondly states "although we had been married only 4 ½ half years, it felt as though we were still newlyweds." The couple enjoyed vacationing, working together and spending quality time together. Mark was the proud father of beautiful baby girl named Meagan. He was also the stepfather of Zhane. They too shared many happy and precious moments together. He loved his family and was proud to be a loving husband and father. A man of faith and belief in the Lord, Mark was a member of Solid Rock Baptist Church located in Denver, Colorado. He joined the church under the pastoral leadership of his father, Reverend Johnny Jenkins, Jr. He accepted his call into the ministry and became an Ordained Minister. He often ministered to those whom he came in contact with and encouraged them to have the right relationship with the Lord. Mark was a fun-loving man, who enjoyed life and those he encircled. In his free time, he enjoyed riding his motorcycle, spending time enjoying nature whether it was skiing or riding a snow mobile. He also enjoyed playing basketball, football, reading as well as studying history. His closest friends, Cory Rollerson, L.C. Wainwright, Gary Nall and Adrian Castillo will miss the many years of camaraderie they all shared together and the fact that he was a true and genuine friend. He also had a band of brothers from the military that is too numerous to name. Over the years, Mark was given several nicknames to include" Sweet Baby Jenx"; "Jenx" and "Markie Mark." He was a man who never met a stranger. Mark was diagnosed with Essential Thrombocytosis which is a bone marrow disease in which the body produces too many platelets. He was placed on a medical regime that seemed to be working but later turned out be life threatening. Despite what he was going through, Mark shielded many of family and friends from the agony that he was experiencing. He didn't want anyone to treat him as though he were sick. He held his head up like the true soldier and privately endured the agony and pain. He was finally diagnosed with Myelofibrosis which is a chronic form of leukemia or otherwise known as Cancer of the Bone Marrow. Mark and Darlene together endured the ups and downs associated with such debilitating disease. Mark's faith and belief in the Lord was never ending or unyielding. He continued to pray and found solace in reading the Bible. He will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to have known this strong Christian man who made a difference in the lives of those he touched. To know Mark was to love him. " Be strong and courageous. do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 Mark DWayne Jenkins departed this life to the embrace of the Lord on January 3, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. Those left to cherish his memory include his loving and devoted wife, Darlene Jenkins of Denver; two daughters, Meagan A. Jenkins and Zhane R. Brooks both of Aurora; his parents, Reverend Johnny (Shetona) Jenkins, Jr. of Aurora and Sharon Major of Denver; two brothers, Gary Jenkins of Colorado and Johnny Jenkins Aurorar; his sister, Jaquay (Rick) Brewster of South Jordan Utah; his stepbrother, Armand Franklin of Parker and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Visitation: 1/15/2013 at 4:00 PM - Solid Rock Baptist Church - 3520 E. 28th Ave., Denver, CO
Service: 1/16/2013 at 11:00 AM - Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church - 3301 Leyden Street, Denver, CO
Cemetery: Ft. Logan National Cemeteryt -