James
“Mark” Kalbfleisch Jr. passed away unexpectedly at home on July
25, 2024, after a long battle with alcoholism that his body could no
longer sustain. He leaves behind his wife, Jennifer Prinz
Kalbfleisch; three cherished sons, James, Alden and Nevan
Kalbfleisch; their adoring huskies, Ember and Wynter; his sister,
Mary Martha Kalbfleisch; his nephew, Joshua James; and many cousins
and their families.
Mark
was born in La Grange, Ill., on June 24, 1972, to the late Mary Bell
“Pinky” Kalbfleisch and James Marcus “Jim” Kalbfleisch Sr. He
spent his early years in Hinsdale, Ill., where he was active in Boy
Scouts, music and swimming. In 1984 he moved to Shelburne, Vt., and
was captivated by this beautiful state and Lake Champlain. Throughout
middle and high school, he was passionate about the arts,
participating in multiple drama productions, playing piano in the
Champlain Valley Union High School Stage Band, and singing with the
All-State Chorus and CVU Madrigal Singers. He was incredibly proud of
participating in Project Harmony, which involved a student exchange
trip to St. Petersburg, Russia. He graduated from CVU in 1990, then
moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. There he
continued to develop his vocal and piano-playing talents while
majoring in music production and engineering.
Mark’s
entrepreneurial flair took flight at Berklee, and he began his career
in live event technical services by providing sound reproduction
support to numerous student shows. It is also where he met his wife,
Jennifer. Upon moving back to Burlington, he continued to grow his
business and became an integral part of the music and corporate
events scene. During that time, Mark was involved in numerous events
and festivals, including First Night Burlington, Discover Jazz
Festival, the Mozart Festival, the Polar Express, Festival of Fools,
the International Film Festival, and Ben & Jerry’s One World
One Heart Festival, just to name a few. Through his work with
Parlatto Productions and other regional production companies, Mark
used his expertise to support a multitude of corporate events. He
relished the opportunity to travel and took pride in his ability to
anticipate the client’s needs.
In
addition to his passion for the arts and dedication to his work, Mark
enjoyed spending time with his family and pups, traveling, boating,
swimming, having family game night, eating eclectic foods, and
discussing music. He had a sweet tooth and loved sharing candy and
Ben & Jerry’s with his boys. Although the insidious nature of
alcoholism was challenging and took its toll on all aspects of his
life, he loved and was loved deeply and will be sorely missed.
A
celebration of life will be held on October 12, 2024. Details will be
determined at a later date. All are welcome to join us in sharing
stories and memories as we honor Mark’s life. The family also
invites you to share your memories by visiting awrfh.com.
This article appears in Seven Daysies 2024.