Mark Vanyush, 70, of Milton, Vt., passed away on March 8, 2025, surrounded by loved ones at the McClure Miller Respite House after an eight-year battle with prostate cancer. He was born on February 22, 1955, in Springfield, Pa., to Benedict and Alene Vanyush.
Mark grew up in South Burlington, Vt. He graduated from South Burlington High School in 1973 and from the University of Vermont with a degree in education in 1977. Mark was a lifelong educator, having taught history at Mater Christi School before teaching woodshop and design and technology in the Milton Town School District. His teaching career as “Mr. V” spanned more than 40 years, and he will be fondly remembered for his sense of humor, his interesting projects and his crazy ties. As a side job to teaching, Mark was also a wedding DJ for more than 20 years, sharing his love for all types of music.
A master craftsman, Mark handcrafted beautiful custom bookshelves, tables, beds, Adirondack chairs, a wedding blanket chest for his daughter, toys for his grandchildren and a one-of-a-kind door inspired by The Hobbit for his grandson. Mark could fix anything and was willing to take on any project you asked of him. Mark was also an avid antique radio collector and loved the challenge of refurbishing them. He was always tinkering and loved spending his weekends working on his farmhouse, fixing up his cars with his son and coming up with project ideas to do with his grandson.
Mark was a dedicated family man and a doting grandfather. He was a great cook, and some of his favorite moments were enjoying Sunday dinners and holidays with his family, as well as taking yearly trips to Cape Cod. He loved his family with his whole heart, and he made fast friends with everyone he met. Mark is survived by his wife of 47 years, Renee; his son, Collin, and wife Sarah; his daughter, Anna DeGraff, and husband Javan; and his two grandchildren, Robert (6) and Valerie (1) DeGraff. Mark will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him, and his time with us was truly a blessing.
Per Mark’s wishes, a private celebration of life will occur at a later date. In lieu of flowers, his family asks for donations in his name to the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. The family would also like to give thanks for the wonderful care he received from the UVM Hospice team, Dr. Paul Unger and staff, and from Dr. Pamela Dawson. His wish was to stay at home as long as he could, and they all helped make that possible. The family invites you to share your memories by visiting awrfh.com.
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2025.