Honoring Mark Utter: A Gathering of Stories, Laughter, and Legacy

Dear Beloved Readers of Mark’s Blog Posts,

As we indicated in previous messages since Mark passed, we promised to be in touch once a memorial was scheduled—and here we are.

We invite you to join us in celebrating Mark Utter’s life on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, from 1:00 – 4:00 PM at the Main Street Landing Film House in Burlington, VT. A big thank you to Main Street Landing for generously hosting Mark’s event as our Host Sponsor!

This gathering will be a mix of stories, video tributes, and, of course, Mark’s signature humor and artistic vision. We will hear from friends, colleagues, creative collaborators, and advocates who knew Mark in different ways. For those who can’t attend in person, the event will be livestreamed and recorded so more people can take part in celebrating his life.

Interested in Speaking?

We are selecting speakers to represent different areas of Mark’s life. However, we want to make sure every typer who wishes to say something has the opportunity to do so. There will also be time at the end of the program for anyone who wants to share a few words.

If you cannot attend in person but would like something shared at the event, please reach out. Your words will not only be part of the gathering but will also be included in Mark’s memory book, which his family has been collecting.

Memorial Details

Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Location: Main Street Landing Film House, Burlington, VT

What to Expect

1:00 – 2:00 PM | Reception in the Lake Lobby

  • Desserts and non-alcoholic drinks, organized by Mark’s sister, Sheryl.

  • A chance to reconnect, share informal memories, and celebrate Mark in a relaxed setting.

  • A slideshow of Mark’s life may run in the background.

2:00 – 4:00 PM | Program in the Film House

  • Speakers sharing memories of Mark interspersed with video clips of Mark

  • Open sharing time for additional thoughts and reflections.

  • The event will close with the dance scene from Mark’s movie, inviting everyone to dance and transition back into the Lake Lobby for more conversation.

We hope you can join us in celebrating Mark’s life, his wit, and his remarkable way of seeing the world.

If you’re interested in speaking or sharing a message for Mark’s memory book, please reach out.

Looking forward to honoring Mark together.

All the best,
Emily and Champlain Voices

Celebrating the Life and Spirit of Mark Utter

Dear Friends and Beloved Supporters of Mark,

January 20th would have been Mark’s birthday celebration, and amidst all the hustle and bustle of life, I could feel his strong spirit with us.

Mark touched so many lives with his energy, wisdom, and joy, and I’m writing to share how we plan to honor him.

Upcoming Events to Celebrate Mark

We are organizing two events to celebrate Mark’s life and legacy:

  1. Film Screening and Remembrance at Main Street Landing’s Film House

    • Thank you, Mariah, for helping make this possible!

    • This event will feature videos of Mark and opportunities to reminisce and reflect on his incredible journey.

  2. Boat Ride on the ‘Spirit of Ethan Allen’

    • Mark loved this boat, and we hope to gather for a ride in his memory.

How You Can Get Involved

If you’d like to join the planning committee, please email me at emily@gmsavt.org. Your input and ideas will make these events even more meaningful.

Alternatively, if you have any words of encouragement or thoughts to help us “get this party started,” I’d love to hear from you!

If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read this wonderful article by Ken Picard, which gives some backstory to a piece he wrote shortly after Mark’s passing. You can check it out here.

Let us carry on with Mark’s smile in our eyes and the sounds of his laughter in our ears. Together, we can honor his memory by celebrating the joy, strength, and encouragement he gave to us all.

With love and gratitude,
Emily

Honoring Mark Utter: A Celebration in the Works

Hello, Beloved Friends of Mark Utter,

We know many of you couldn’t attend Mark’s ceremonies and events on November 1st. We want to assure you that Champlain Voices—Mark’s advocacy group—along with friends at Main Street Landing, Green Mountain Self Advocates, Mark’s family, and many others are starting to plan an event to celebrate his work and honor his wish to create joyful connections and open communication among people. The date for 2025 is still to be determined, so we’ll share more details as they become available.

Emily, Mark and Paul Schnabel on the set of ‘I am in here.’ - Photo by Director, Jim Heltz

For those who have not yet seen Mark’s obituary, which elaborates on some of the projects he did in his life, you can find it here. At the end, it’s mentioned that we, Champlain Voices, Mark’s advocacy group, are collecting money to support Mark’s legacy. You can find that link here. To access it, use the password ‘Utterlymark.’ Thank you to all who have already donated!

Ken Picard wrote a lovely story to inform Seven Days readers that Mark had passed. You can find that here. In it, Ken talks about Mark officiating Emily’s wedding with Brian Merrill. We’re including two photos by Ronald T. Simon, longtime photographer of the Bread and Puppet Theater, who captured Mark’s great spirit and style in his role. We’re so thankful he was able to find them.

Angie Sylas supporting Mark’s delivery of the wedding ceremony. - Photo by Ronald T. Simon

The wedding ceremony. Photo by Ronald T. Simon Wedding garland by Libby Meehan

This is a lot of content to explore. Enjoy discovering what resonates with you.

Thank you all for the wonderful thoughts and reflections you’ve shared with us during this deeply emotional time. Mark was a marvel, and we’re all so fortunate to have had him in any part of our lives.

We’ll be in touch with more updates as they come.

With all our best,
Emily and Champlain Voices