Obituary: Mark William Gistinger
Mark William Gistinger, September 11, 1943 – March 16, 2024
Mark William Gistinger, September 11, 1943 – March 16, 2024, is survived by his wife, Susan Gazley Gistinger; daughter, Maggie Gistinger Hatcher; granddaughter, Lucia Susanne Hatcher; son-in-law, Brandon Hatcher; nieces, Kathy Jorgenson and Cynthia Taub; nephews, Joseph Gistinger and Michael Gistinger; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lucille and Joseph Gistinger; brother, Thomas Gistinger; sister, Joann Jorgenson; and nephew, T.J. Gistinger.
Mark was an alumnus of Detroit Redford High School, Eastern Michigan University, and Detroit College of Law. He was a member of the State Bar of Michigan for 50 years, practicing law from 1973-2010, initially in Flat Rock where he also served as prosecutor before settling in to his practice in Manchester, Michigan. He worked with many in his professional career but none better than Joyce Stein and Julia Gregg who became family as well as indispensable members of the Gistinger and Gistinger Law firm. After caring for his mother prior to her passing in 2010, he retired to divide his time between Algonac, Michigan, where he was able to enjoy his love for fishing, boating, and watching freighters, and his woodland home in Manchester.
His commitment to service extended beyond the legal realm; Mark voluntarily enlisted and served his country in combat during the Vietnam War as a member of the United States Marine Corps, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, First Force Recon Company.
Mark’s zest for life was infectious, as was his famous laugh. He was a member of the Manchester Jaycees, later transitioning to the Manchester Men’s Club. A performer with the Black Sheep Repertory Theater, a runner that completed the Detroit Free Press Marathon and numerous 10K races across Michigan, including one memorable run in the Keweenaw Peninsula, a region he cherished during summer visits with his family. Travel was extremely important to him and he took his family throughout the US, Canada and spent time in Mexico, Spain, Portugal, the UK and the Caribbean. He believed to know a place you needed to stay off the beaten path and always seek a friend that is from where ever you’re visiting and this philosophy made travel with him an experience beyond just vacationing. A true dog person, there was never a time in life, besides his time in service, that he did not have one, or many, dogs by his side. Mark was a voracious reader and lover of fiction as well as historical works. He was a tremendous cook and lover of fine cuisine, always seeking the next gourmet experience from a simple home cooked meal to a 5-star restaurant. A licensed private pilot, Mark embarked on adventures from Rosettie Airport in Manchester, often accompanied by his daughter and wife in a 4-seater Cessna he co-owned with other local pilots. Their escapades included quick trips around town, going up north for breakfast to flying along the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean, making stops in Canada, and even crossing the Chesapeake Bay while a US nuclear submarine passed below. Among his most treasured journeys was flying his family to Eleuthera, Bahamas, from Manchester in that beloved little Cessna, where they experienced many memorable stops and moments along the way. This cherished phase in his life was made possible through the instruction and mentorship of his close friend, fellow Vietnam Vet and pilot instructor Terry Harris.
While Mark formed countless friendships, his bond with his grade school and high school companions, affectionately known as “The Boys”, remained steadfast throughout his life. Cass Casucci, his best friend since grade school, held a special place in his life to the very end.
In his final days, Mark reflected on the truest joys of his life: traveling with his family, any and all time in, on or near the ocean which he loved dearly, the love of his dogs, fostering camaraderie within the Black Sheep Theater and Tavern community, and his lifelong friendships with “The Boys”. When asked about the single best day of his life by his daughter, he simply replied, “that’s easy, the day you were born.”
While the last year of his life was hard, he maintained his love of life and regularly expressed how grateful he was to have the constant support and care of his wife, daughter, son in law and granddaughter who all played vital parts in his care. Mark chose to leave the hospital and come home on his own terms almost 2 weeks prior to his passing and was looking out at the river and surrounded and held in love by Susan, Maggie, Lucia, Brandon, Mugsy and Shadow until his last breath.
Mark’s laughter, intelligence and larger-than-life presence will be deeply missed, but his family hopes that his legacy of joy and living life to the fullest will endure in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him.
A gathering to celebrate Mark’s life will be held at Carr Park in Manchester, MI on May 11th at 1pm. Please bring a dish to pass that would please the epicure we’re celebrating:)
Memorial donations may be made to the Manchester Men’s Club, The Manchester American Legion, The Algonac Fire Department, and/or The Ronald McDonald House of Topeka, KS.
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