John Mark Purcell entered this world in 1988 in College Station, Texas. He decamped with his family at the tender age of 2 to Leningrad, USSR (later renamed Saint Petersburg, Russia). There, he attended the Second Gymnasium of St Petersburg for three years before transferring to the International Academy.  At International Academy, he was beloved for founding the school store, his first big entrepreneurial advance, and was remembered as a tech buff for having the school's first iPod.

John Mark attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas. While in college he co-founded Zeta Chi Beta service fraternity with guys who became lifelong friends. He studied abroad and played lacrosse - when some of his (un)natural aggression could be on full display. He graduated with a degree in International Relations and moved to Korea to work as a Fulbright Scholar for the next year.  Returning to the US during a recession, his standing job offer was rescinded (uh-oh) and he had to make the first of many pivots in his career. This one involved marketing with a borrowed iPad but as always, he somehow winded up finding the next big thing he loved.   He was passionate about making companies and systems work better by meeting the needs of their customers and he went on to do this at multiple startups in New York City. COVID-19 led to a change in his lifestyle - he began traveling more including many family visits.

John Mark loved life. It was a bad day for him if he didn't learn something new.  He was motivated by his love for his family and friends and his hunger to see the world.  He enjoyed many many things from traveling, reading, snorkeling, skiing, and hiking, to good food. He never passed up an excellent video game.  He ran with the bulls in Palomo. He rode atop trains in Bangladesh, volunteered at a camp for handicapped children, and led a Bible study in Dallas for teenagers. He liked to recommend the book Guns, Germs and Steel to anyone who would listen and most of his circle have a half-read copy on their bookshelf.  He loved to play board games and many of his friends credit him with introducing them to that world. He was an interesting and informed conversationalist. There was almost no subject he didn't want to discuss. On a memorable family vacation in Normandy, he debated the beginnings of WWII until everyone wanted to push him out of the car.  His love for his 17 nieces and nephews was legendary and extended to camping, rides in fancy cars, and trips to NYC.

Above all, John Mark will be remembered as authentic, loyal, and loving. He loved being himself, accepting friends and family as they were, moving mountains to see them, and keeping a tight-knit group of companions in his life.

He loved his siblings and father very much as evidenced by traveling wherever they were in the world to visit them, but he had a special place in his heart for his Momma, and sisters - Laura and Emily.

John Mark is survived by his amazing partner, Melissa (Mel), his loving parents, Blake and Cathy, his siblings Emily, Graham, Lewis, Zachary, and Laura, their spouses and 17 nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are under the direction of Aulds Funeral Home of Archer City.