John Scott Marks, Jr.

John Scott Marks, Jr., 91, 2023 passed away in Point Clear, Alabama on Sunday, January 22. It was a peaceful, comfortable and dignified passing at home, quite literally in the hands of his loving wife Julia of nearly 59 years and their youngest daughter. Their elder and middle daughters were together in Colorado and were able to share poignant and loving goodbye the evening before through FaceTime, a technology in which John had no interest in nor knowledge of, but he didn’t need to. The entire family, including all four grandchildren, were all together in person just weeks earlier for a Christmas filled with love and joy in Atlanta. John was born in Montgomery, Alabama and earned his undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. During college, he played lead trombone in the Alabama Cavaliers where he once had the distinct honor of escorting Doris Day to sing with the band. He then graduated from the University of Alabama Medical School in Birmingham. After internships in general surgery in Birmingham and Philadelphia, he served as a physician in the Air Force at Randolph Field in San Antonio. Then he began his neurosurgery residency in Louisville, Kentucky, where he met and married his wife, Julia, in 1964. Shortly thereafter, they settled in Indianapolis, Indiana and practiced neurosurgery for nearly 30 years. There, they raised three daughters before returning to his roots in Alabama in 1993. Aside from being a loving husband and father, he was a devoted cellist and lover of classical music. He met his wife, a violist, in Louisville playing string quartets; they continued to enjoy chamber music together every week for the rest of his life. They participated in workshops for almost 50 years in Interlochen, Michigan, Bennington, Vermont and Virginia play weeks. Using an international chamber music directory, John and Julia expanded their circle of fellow musicians, often taking their instruments on the road across Europe. There, they enjoyed their passion for food, eating everything from Michelin three-star meals to Campbells cream of mushroom soup. Later in life after retirement, while he continued to play weekly chamber music, he also played in the Pensacola and Mobile symphonies. Throughout his life, John took great care to organize his volumes of chamber music so he would be at the ready to pull out anything for regular sessions of quartets, quintets and more anytime, anywhere. A few personal memories show his devotion to his family and his love of life: Rafting from Montgomery to Point Clear; loving adventures far and near. On call at the hospital on many late nights; taking personal and loving care of his patients’ plights. Driving the little blue convertible and 70s shag-carpeted van;” let’s shove as many people in as we can. A lust for his buttermilk; dressing his daughters in their school kilts. Playing cello and building castles in the sand; of “Lordy, ain’t life grand.” Reading was a life-long passion; J. R. R. Tolkien, E.E Cummings, L. Frank Baum and science fiction were always in fashion. Hug, squeeze, kiss, tickle and pat; oh, you can’t sleep, just wear my magical green sleeping hat. Never ruin a good story with the truth; but do make margaritas and spin ping pong serves to demonstrate forever youth. Alabama and Indiana; taking care of two Jules’s, an Ellen and an Anna. After 80, he enjoyed golf from the womens’ tees with the Muligans; the group then relaxed by Mobile Bay with their cocktails and pelicans. His motto was “be kind to each other;” we live by these words, none other. Loving his family with care and sweetness; that sums his life up in completeness. John is predeceased by his youngest brother Charles and his daughter-in-law Monica. His is survived by his wife Julia Rhinehart Marks, their three daughters, Ellen Caroline Marks, Anna Marks Carner, her two children Charlie and Sam, Juliet Scott Veal, her husband Andy and their two children Nathan and Caroline, his brother, Bill and his beloved cat, Pablo. Nighty night snookums, we love you sweetie. ARRANGEMENTS BY WOLFE-BAYVIEW FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATORY, INC. 19698 GREENO RD. FAIRHOPE AL. 36532 (251) 990-7775