At the youthful age of 76, Maurice K. Engstrom died peacefully July 27, 2005, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Known as “Mark” and “Buddy,” he is survived by his wife of 33 years, Peggie; three children, Mark, Chris and Sally; three stepsons, Ralph, Niels and Mark Eskelsen; his brother, Norm; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Shirley, mother of his three children, and his stepson, Hans Eskelsen.

Mark was born in Salina, Kansas in 1928. He later moved to Seattle in 1939 with his parents, Arnold and Edith Engstrom, where he attended Queen Anne High School and became a star baseball pitcher. Following high school, he played professional baseball for several teams until he injured his arm several years later. He then became a salesman for Singer Sewing Machines until he was drafted into the Army where he served three years in Alaska training to operate tanks.

After the Army, he returned to Bellevue, married Shirley, became manager of the Bellevue Singer store, and began raising his family.

Following Shirley’s death in 1968, he married Peggie in 1972.

In 1988, after retiring from Singer, he and Peggie moved to Whidbey Island where he built a successful sewing machine repair business known as Washington School Service.

He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather with a wonderful sense of humor. Services were held Monday, Aug. 1, 2005 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Bellevue, followed by a funeral service and a brief graveside service at Sunset Hills Memorial Park.

Remembrances may be made to American Cancer Society.