Nelly Tan Mark

Memorial Visitation for Nelly Mark, 84, of Lake Forest, will be at Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, 415 S. Buesching Road, Lake Zurich, from 2:00 PM until the time of the Funeral Service at 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 1, 2026. To view the Service, click here: Mrs. Mark's Funeral Service. Interment will take place privately at a later date in St. Louis, MO.

Nelly Tan Mark, beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2026, at the age of 84.

Nelly was born on June 1, 1941, in Bandung, Indonesia, to beloved father Teng-Pek Tan and mother Soei Jing Huang.

She was the third daughter in a large family including eight beloved siblings and grew up in Indonesia surrounded by a lively, close-knit household that loved to eat together and laugh, which shaped her lifelong devotion to family.

At the age of 15, with the encouragement of her father and an English school teacher who recognized her ability to learn and speak English, Nelly was the first of her family to emigrate to the United States—and took care of her siblings when they subsequently arrived. She attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, while living with a physician’s family in Kenilworth, Illinois. Upon graduation, she attended Albion College in Albion, Michigan, where she earned a degree in Psychology.

During her teenage years, Nelly attended an evangelistic meeting where she heard preaching on the love and forgiveness of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Moved by the message, she came forward to acknowledge Jesus Christ as her Savior—an event that shaped her faith and guided her life thereafter.

Nelly met her future husband, Edward Mark, at a College Bible Conference. They were married in June of 1964 and made their home in Ballwin, Missouri. Edward preceded her in death in 1999. Together, they were long-time, devoted members of the St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church, where they formed lasting friendships and faithfully raised their children in the life of the church.

Nelly was a woman of remarkable ability, independence, humility, and wide-ranging interests. As a young woman, she was very good at ballet and an avid swimmer. She was a lover of fine cuisine, particularly Chinese and Indonesian food. She enjoyed cooking, floral arranging, cake decorating, sewing, travel, keeping up with the latest fashions, and of course, shopping. Her kids were pleased to discover her hidden talent for playing the accordion. She loved music, especially the singing of her daughter Angie, and had a great appreciation for the old church hymns. Travel and cruising with her family brought her great joy.

A devoted and sacrificial mother, Nelly was a stay-at-home mom until her four kids were teens and thereafter worked for many years at Washington University in St. Louis in the Clinical Psychiatry Department.

Nelly exhibited incredible bravery and perseverance during her fight with cancer over her last few years along with multiple surgeries. Despite many years of chronic pain, she impressed those around her with her inner strength and determination.

Nelly is survived by her four children: Kevin Mark (Debbie), Geoffrey Mark (Tricia), Lisa Mak, née Mark (Chester), and Angela Mark (Matthew Grayson). She is also survived by her nine grandchildren: Gabbi, Nikki, Michael, Vivienne, Kieran, Graham, Connor, and Shannon, and by her cherished great-granddaughter, Emma.

Nelly will be remembered for her tearful and hearty laughs, quiet strength, respectful dignity, generous spirit, faith, and deep love for her family. Her life was marked by godly character, perseverance, and grace, and her legacy lives on through the many lives she touched. She is greatly missed and forever loved.