Markus Tarkiainen's Obituary
Markus Tarkiainen is an extraordinary person, loved by many. He lives on in the laughs and smiles of all that know him.Originally from Finland, and being tall and very blond, his wife Jennifer refers to him as her handsome viking with sisu. Sisu is a Finnish term that can be roughly translated as the gift of sustainable courage.It was love at first sight when Markus and Jennifer met, and coincidentally they lived in the same building. They got engaged within two weeks of meeting. Their wedding was epic, it was a Texas wedding in Finland. All that they wanted was for their guests to feel their love and be as happy as they were.Some years later, they were further blessed with two beautiful girls, Yasmine and Kira.Around 2005, they moved to Half Moon Bay, California where Markus and his family became an integral part of a kind and small town community.There are so many wonderful things about Markus, and here’s just a few:Markus is a devoted family man. He showers his family with unconditional love and gives without expectations. He gave his wife a guitar and a membership to a girl band one birthday because he knew she dreamed about it. He gave his daughter Yasmine unlimited support for all of her endeavors including an exchange year to Europe in high school. He gave his daughter Kira unlimited encouragement to explore the world, stay curious and learn. He always helped with homework. He surprised his mother in Finland on mother’s day. He carries on his father’s craftsmanship throughout his home renovation projects. His pets are also family members, and you can see him riding his bike down the coastal trail with his overgrown boxer named Mojo, or sampling a brew at the local pub with Eloise the bulldog.Markus helped his friends in whatever way was needed. His kindness was unlimited, and whether it’s hosting visitors, helping out by moving something, doing home renovation for others, you name it, just call Markus. He will be there with a smile.Markus is a dedicated martial artist, and earned his second degree black belt at Kuk Sool Won. One martial artist coined the term ‘move like Markus’ which means that hard work pays off. Even with his tall stature, he had an uncanny ability to do one legged squats with ease and Bruce Lee style kicks. He loved helping others learn martial arts.Markus is brilliant. He can solve algorithms in his sleep. And he knows how to crack IT problems at work in new areas that have not even been developed yet. He is a pioneering entrepreneur and inspires others to invent solutions.Markus is the life of any party. He has a dry wittiness that always keeps those around him laughing. He has been known to hang with the neighbors for sunset lawn parties, sing at impromptu jam sessions, and cook for large groups on any holidays.Markus might be over 40 but he has the playfulness of a boy. He likes sweets, fast cars and electronic gadgets. His wife joked that she had her horse power (which was an actual horse) and he had his (a sports car). His youngest daughter made a paper owl, and Markus keeps it on the front mirror of his sports car.Markus treasures the beautiful nature here on the coast, and always enjoys looking at a skyline of the Santa Cruz mountains. His final resting spot is on top of a mountain with a view of Half Moon Bay and the Pacific Ocean. He will forever gaze upon the mountains.He leaves the rest of us here to aspire to live like he did and be as happy as Markus always is.The amazing Markus Tarkiainen.
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