KENT

Mark A. Nagella, 34, passed away suddenly on January 10, 2021 after a brief illness. His large, extended family of Teece’s, Nagella’s, Plano’s and Tessier’s is heartbroken at his passing. He was a beloved son, grandson, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. He was born near Dallas, Texas and was proud to identify as a “cowboy.”He had a quiet, introspective, compassionate demeanor with a sense of vulnerability, naivety and quirky sense of humor. He was quick to repent of any offenses he felt he had committed and was devoted to a close circle of people whom he trusted. He had a special bond with his mother, Margaret (Teece) Nagella, and felt a strong sense of duty to protect and care for her. He adored his grandmother, Irene Teece, and enjoyed overnight visits and tea time with her.He had an altruistic spirit with a special intuition for the needs of others. He delighted in indulging loved ones with thoughtful gifts of flowers, candy, jewelry, clothes, blankets, pillows, candles and home décor to create a feeling of “home sweet home.” He lived with his mother and contributed to the functioning of the household, proactively taking responsibility for tasks that needed completion. He started a mock family business he whimsically called “On-Site Construction” and recently assisted in assembling two outdoor sheds. He was tech savvy, lending his skills as the family “tech support” and recently insisting an upgrade to the family phone plan. He eagerly participated in acts of service, doing odd jobs and lawn maintenance for the elderly.He lived a simple life; enjoying nature walks and runs along Portage County hike and bike trails, supporting local tea and coffee shops, as well as mom-and-pop diners. He also enjoyed watching pro football, cooking, baking, reading, attending cultural festivals, swimming and fishing. He was in charge of family movie nights with buttered stovetop popcorn and initiated a family book club. As a naturally gifted artist and musician, he played several instruments and wrote songs.In his youth, he attended a Christian school and church camps, learned martial arts, joined Boy Scouts and played soccer. He graduated from Maplewood Vocational School in Ravenna, Ohio where he studied Graphic Arts. He had recently set up a home office for his artistic and musical pursuits, looking forward to collaborating with his siblings in future artistic endeavors. He was an avid weight lifter and had a home gym, which he was in the process of expanding. He was also an animal lover, especially cats, dogs – and horses – being “cowboy.” He often donated to animal shelters. He had done substantial traveling throughout his life and had always dreamed of visiting New York City. In the summer of 2019, he and his mother took a chartered bus trip to the Big Apple and the highlight of the trip was a horse and carriage ride through Central Park.He loved holidays and spending time with family. He had remarked that the past holiday season was one of the “best ever.” He purchased a complete Thanksgiving meal for his family and requested to have Thanksgiving at his grandmother’s where his uncle, Paul Teece, taught him to carve the turkey. And, for Christmas, he was pleased that he was able to have his traditional live tree and celebrate family traditions.Mark courageously battled and rebounded from many personal struggles and was in a very contented place in life, remarking over the holidays that he “felt the love.” In Mark’s final moments, he prayed with his mother as he crossed over the threshold to his eternal home. John 6:27 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date. Happy trails to our beloved Mark, until we meet again. You left us too soon and will never be forgotten. You will forever be in our minds and hearts. Arrangements are by the Green Family Funeral Home & Crematory Service in Mantua, where condolences and memories may be viewed at www.greenfamilyfuneralhome.com.