Samuel "Mark" Kuykendall, age 60, went home to be with the Lord on June 19, 2023.

He was the son of Edwin "Ed" Harrison Kuykendall, Sr. & Dorothy Whitmire Kuykendall. He was born October 17, 1962. He grew up in Asheville, NC in the Oteen area and graduated from A.C. Reynolds High School in 1980.  Mark was a bluegrass musician and began his singing career at the age of 8 years old singing & playing with Raymond Fairchild in Maggie Valley, NC. He made his first Grand Ole Opry appearance when he was 13 years old.

He cut his first solo album at the age of 14. He also toured with The Billy Graham Crusade when he was 13-14 years old. Later, he went on to play with bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin and The Sunny Mountain Boys for 5 years. He also played & sang as one of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boy's for 3 years, where he & Bill became good friends. Mark has released 2 CDs with renowned fiddle player Bobby Hicks in recent years.

He spent over 40 years in the antique and classic car business. He traveled the country buying and selling some amazing items. Some of his favorite memories are owning Elvis Presley's 1960 Lincoln, along with Marilyn Monroe's Cadillac, and Elvis's last jet.  He was the owner of Shades of the Past Classic Auto Museum & Sales in Asheville.

He was known for his quick smile, giving spirit, genuine belly laugh, and larger than life optimism. He loved the Lord and his family. He always said, "If you have the Lord, family and friends, you have everything".  The greatest joys in his life were becoming a father to his daughter Carrie, meeting Kelley Jean and being blessed with stepchildren and grandchildren.

Mark is preceded in death by his parents, Edwin Harrison, Sr. & Dorothy Whitmire Kuykendall, sister; Martha Carol Jackson, brother; Edwin Harrison Kuykendall, Jr., stepson; William Robert Denver and grandsons; Benjamin Elisha Schrader and Matthew Hans Toonstra.

Mark is survived by the love of his life, Kelley Jean Denver; daughter, Dorothy Caroline (Jeremiah) Huskey; stepchildren; Robbie (Max) Schrader, Cody (Jennifer) Denver, Megan (Evan) Toonstra, Taylor Denver, Jesse (Nichole) Denver, Amy (Richard) Herrick, Laura Denver, Noah Denver, Emma Denver, and Joseph Denver; sisters; Cindy (Everett) Bartlett and Becky (Ralph) Greene; 12 grandchildren, numerous nieces & nephews and many, many dear friends.

Private family services will be held at a later date with burial at Wildwood Cemetery, Cohasset, MN.

A celebration of life will take place in North Carolina at a later date.