Obituary of Mark Daniel Salazar
Mark passed away unexpectedly at home in West Sacramento on February 5, 2022. Born in Sacramento on November 6, 1969, the eldest of two children. He is survived by his mother Donna (Mike) Crumley, brother Matthew (Mimi) and nephews Zachary, Nathan and Joey, and his dog DJ; and by his father Daniel (Kathy) and their son Vincent. He will also be missed by many loving aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Preceded in death by his uncles Julian Salazar, Gary Johnson and his cousin Kimberly Salazar.
Mark was a proud West Sacramento native who attended James Marshall preschool, K-8 at Our Lady of Grace Elementary, Christian Brothers High School and Sacramento City College. In school he was active in sports, playing basketball and football at OLG, and running track and playing basketball at CBHS. Baseball stretched across his youth and he loved sharing stories about the great Little League teams he played on, especially the team that earned Western Regional Senior All-Star status in 1985.
During high school, Mark worked several part-time jobs, including two summers at the Sacramento Zoo. One of his first full-time jobs was at Tower Warehouse, which deepened his love for discovering new music and accumulating records. For 24 years, he worked as an Associate Information Systems Analyst in various departments for the State of California.
Mark was often seen around town, wearing off-the-wall t-shirts, riding his 20-year-old bicycle – built for comfort, not speed. His bike was covered in various stickers accumulated through the years. If it was Wednesday, he was likely heading to, or returning from, lunch with his mom – a long-held tradition.
Mark was an avid collector. His collection of baseball cards stretched back to days when he and his brother Matt began buying and trading cards as young children. Later his tastes turned to vinyl records from obscure bands and quirky, one-of-a-kind t-shirts. His longest running collection was of sports knowledge, culled from years of watching his favorite teams – The San Francisco Giants and Notre Dame Football – and devouring everything written about either one.
Mark’s most notable collection consisted of all the times he was able to attend an event that combined his passions with the people he loved. Whether it was a train ride to Berkeley to hunt for obscure records, Trivia Night at the VFW, catching a show by a local fringe band, heading to Candlestick/AT&T Park/Oracle Park for a Giants game, or just a night at someone’s house to watch a game or listen to music – enjoying the experience with his family and friends made it the perfect addition to his collection of memorable moments.
His family and close friends said goodbye in a small, private ceremony, dressed in Giants gear, sharing some favorite Mark-stories and experiences - a day that would have definitely earned a spot in Mark’s collection of memorable moments. Mark will be missed for his intelligence, loyalty, loving heart, sharp wit, and unorthodox sense of humor by all who loved him.
