Mark A. Nelson, age 30, of Perryville, Missouri, formerly of Troy, Illinois, passed away Monday morning, September 15, 2003 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Mark was born May 3, 1973 in Granite City, Illinois. He grew up in Troy and later moved to Columbia, Missouri to attend the Univeristy of Missouri, then moved to Perryville, Missouri where he has lived for 8 years. Mark was a member of the Troy United Methodist Church and the Alumni Association of the University of Missouri. He was employed as a Mechanical Engineer with TG Missouri Corporation in St. Louis, Missouri.

He is suvived by his parents Paul and Donna (nee Earnest) Nelson of Troy; one brother Craig (Judy) Nelson of Collinsville; paternal grandmother Mrs. Mary Nelson of Troy; Aunts and Uncles: Larry and Patty Earnest of Newton, Illinois, Bob and Carolyn Guilander of Collinsville and Lloyd and Sharon Nelson of St. Louis, Missouri; Cousins Jim and Deborah Riddle, Diane Earnest, David and Maureen Nelson, Brad and Joanne Nelson, Merik and Pam Ramsey and nine second cousins. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Ronald Nelson and his maternal grandparents Victor and Lois Earnest.

Visitation: 4:00 PM, Wednesday, September 17, 2003 at Laughlin Funeral Home.

Funeral Services: 10:00 AM, Thursday, September 18, 2003 at Troy United Methodist Church in Troy, Illinois. Reverends Dennis Price and Matt Henson will officiate.

Interment: Sunset Hills Memorial Gardens in Glen Carbon, Illinois

Memorials may be made to the Troy United Methodist Church or The American Cancer Society Relay for Life-Gateway. Memorials will be accepted at the funeral home.