Mark Douglas Earnhart Sr.'s Obituary
EARNHART, Mark Douglas, Sr., age 71, of Waynesville, passed away Thursday, September 18, 2025, at his home surrounded by his family.
Mark graduated from Waynesville High School and attended Cedarville University. For 46 years, he was part of the police department at the Kettering Medical Center, officially retiring in 2023. He was a member of the Waynesville First Baptist Church.
As an avid hunter, he looked forward to deer season each year. When he was younger, he enjoyed the challenge of hunting squirrels and rabbits, and recently tried his hand at hunting turkey. The first thing he did every morning was check his trail cameras from the night before to see what type of wildlife had stopped by. One of his passions was golfing, and he would go to any course he could find. He loved working on house projects and built an entire second story to his house, as well as rebuilt his daughter’s home. He was very proud of his property. He was always there when you needed help with anything; he was a fixer in a variety of ways. He had a strong belief that you didn’t halfway do something, you made sure you did the job right, and you never made a mess. The great-grandchildren will always remember his motto, “We need to clean as we go.” He enjoyed going to his home theater to watch action and comedic films, with the Indiana Jones series being his favorite. He had a large garden but was especially proud of his tomatoes. The summer brought on grilling season, which was his favorite. He loved firing up steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, and fish on the grill.
Family was everything to Mark; he was very dependable and devoted to them, which made him an ideal husband, father, and grandpa. Even though he was quiet in nature, he had a good sense of humor. He would trick you when you weren’t even thinking about it. A special tradition with his daughter, Marlissa, was to go Christmas shopping and go out to eat. During that cherished time together, Marlissa would help him find just the perfect gift for Susan. It became a tradition every year at Christmas for Mark and his wife, Susan, to cook Chinese food for everyone. He looked forward to the many family vacations; it didn’t matter where they were traveling, just as long as they were all together. They traveled a good portion of the continental United States, but his ultimate happy place was Key Largo, Florida. He loved scuba diving with his son, Mark Jr., and was considered a master diver; they were also instructors. In addition, he treasured spending time working on his boat, which was also a project he enjoyed with his son. Deep-sea fishing was also a favorite pastime. Among many things, he will be remembered for the love he had for his family, especially the babies.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Suzanne Earnhart. He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Susan; daughter, Karin (Ricky) Benner; son, Mark (Zdenka) Earnhart Jr.; daughter, Marlissa Earnhart (Jeremy Sharritt); twelve grandchildren, Luke Dale (Emily Lyons), Parker Dale, Cheyanne (David) Schmitt, Tessa (Shawn) Gabbard, Michael Dale, Rickey (Amanda) Benner, Joel Dale, Ella Dale, Rachael (Cole) Smith, Mark Earnhart III, Michaela Earnhart, and Felicity Sharritt; six great-grandchildren, Juniper, Klaus, Lilly, Luna, Ivan, and Anya; and one sister, Loretta (Rocky) Crawford.
Special gratefulness for his daughter, Karin, for the round-the-clock care she gave Mark and Susan in his last weeks.
An open house in honor of Mark will be from 1 pm to 5 pm on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at his home located at 8185 Mt. Holly Rd. Waynesville, Ohio. Stubbs-Conner Funeral Home in Waynesville is serving the family. If desired, contributions may be made to the Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. Condolences at www.stubbsconner.com.
What’s your fondest memory of Mark?
What’s a lesson you learned from Mark?
Share a story where Mark's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Mark you’ll never forget.
How did Mark make you smile?