Mark Roy Houberg-Lawton R.N.
November 6, 1971 - August 5, 2021
Mark R. Houberg-Lawton passed away on August. 5, 2021, in Naples, Idaho. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 6, 1971, to Janet and LeRoy “Roy” Houberg as their only child together. Mark was a 1990 graduate of Hillcrest High School in Midvale Utah. He began his medical education with Salt Lake Community College but was quickly thrust deeply into patient care for his maternal grandparents Flora and Jack Shepard. Mark’s father had major cardiac issues that required his mother’s and his constant vigilance. Together they forged an extra decade of life for Roy through their care.
Mark joined Continental Airlines in 1991 and served as a corporate trainer and operations professional for 19 years. After his mother passed in 2007 he resumed his education and obtained his nursing degree in 2009. He was truly an amazing medical professional, saving many lives of those in his care as a charge nurse with University Neuropsychiatric Institute (UNI) in Salt Lake City.
For the last several years, Mark worked as a nurse in geriatric psychiatry and detox arenas until becoming disabled and retiring in 2017. He was highly respected by his colleagues. He was known as the “drug interaction guru” who saved many interns and seasoned practitioner’s careers from making mistakes. Mark was highly decorated with stunning accolades by his patients from all over the world. His passion was effective caregiving and helping patients actually heal while in his care. He cared deeply for those in his circle and even more for his loving husband and pets.
Mark loved all things maritime. He spent weeks on the water at Flaming Gorge every year with his parents during his youth and well into his years with Kwintone. Kind and generous, he was known for rising up and quickly contributing solutions during incredibly difficult situations with high stakes. He delivered his magic with warmth, authenticity and a cool head, peppered with a well-timed joke. If he liked you, he’d throw in a generous dollop of his special blend of wry, double entendre steeped, side eyed sarcasm. His pleasant personality was contagious to all he met.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents, and grandparents. He is survived by his husband of 28 years, Kwintone Houberg-Lawton of Naples, Idaho, his dogs Jenny and Rocky, cats Samson and Sissy and his “Special” Cockatoo Rubar.
An informal gathering of friends, family and loved ones to celebrate Mark's life will be held on Friday March 4, 2022 from10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. at Le Jardin at The Rose Shop, 1910 Dimple Dell Road (10600 South) Sandy UT 84092