Mark was the infant son of J. Ralph Forcum and Kathryn Jeannette Deschler Forcum. He was born on 10 Jun 1950 in Indianapolis, Indiana's Coleman Hospital, and was destined to never leave the confines of that building. His first name, Mark, was from the biblical Mark. The middle name of Rezin, was from his father's Grandfather, Rezin Trivette. Mark was fated die as an infant from the time of conception, due to state of medicine in the late 1940's and early 1950's. He was born with RH disease or what they called a "blue baby" in the 1950's. His only hope would have been an immediate blood transfusion virtually concurrent with his birth, but by the time his condition was diagnosed, it was too late for any medical intervention. By 11 Jun 1950, Kathryn and Ralph knew that their precious son could not survive.

The night of 11 Jun 1950 Ralph went home like a man in a stupor. He had two lovely Mormon friends who, without being asked, came to spend the night with him. That night there was some prayer, many tears, and little sleep. Forty eight hours later Mark was no more. Since Kathryn was still in the hospital, Ralph had to pick out the little casket with blue lining.

Not much is known about Mark himself. Was he born blond like his older brother? Did he have brown eyes like his younger brother would have? Ralph, and especially Kathryn, went through a very long period of the most desperate mourning. They needed to get it out; to cry and talk about their lose, but they didn't.

There arose an unspoken rule between Ralph, Kathryn and their friends. The rule was that no one was to talk about Mark.. If for some reason he had to be referred to he was called "the baby we lost."

So deep was the hurt, that Ralph and Kathryn's other two living sons did not know of the existence of there brother until the 1960's or 1970's.

Finally, this heavy burden was lifted from them by God's had in the 1980's. When one of Kathryn's daughter-in-law approached her about naming the newest grandchild, Mark, Kathryn unhesitantly agreed. In the 1984 when Ralph and Kathryn's grandson Mark was born, he arrived on the exact date that their own son, Mark was born; 10 Jun.


Dear Brother Mark,

We often wonder what it would have been like to have had you in the family as a brother. Now, as we are in middle age we think of you more often than ever before. Mark, always know that your brothers love you and will never let the memory of you fail.

Sincerely,

Your loving brothers