David "Whitey" Marks

David “Whitey” Garland Marks of Wallkill, NY, retired from PepsiCo of Florida in 2009.  He had also been an Iron Worker for Ironworkers Union Local 417, Newburgh. He grew up in Ulster County New York but settled in Florida after returning home from Vietnam. He reestablished residency in New York in 2012. He passed away on January 13, 2021, in Wallkill.  He was 77.

The son of the late Fred G. Marks and Elizabeth Peters Marks, he was born December 5, 1943 in Lawrence, Kansas.

He served in the Navy as a Seabee during Vietnam. He was proud to be a veteran and was honored to serve his country. He served two tours in Vietnam.

Whitey was an avid motorcycle enthusiast who loved to ride the open roads while stopping along life’s journey to meet new people and make new friends. People who knew him would say he was a legend and shared many stories of his adventures. Some of the friends he made in life he called his Brothers and treated them as such. One in particular is Joseph “Leggs” White of Florida. There are many more that can attest to this kind of friendship that Whitey extended. He had a love of music and played the guitar. He enjoyed feeding the wildlife and looked forward to the occasional visit from the neighbors cat who he affectionately named Frank. Frank has beautiful blue eyes so he thought it was fitting to call him Frank after Frank Sinatra.

Survivors include his daughter, Bridget Marks-Lanier and her husband, Brian of Covington GA. son, David Marks of Hemet CA, daughter, Darla Hall and her husband, Bob of Wallkill, NY; Grandchildren: Christopher Hall, Nicholas Hall, Mitchel Hall, Victoria Hall, Michael Lanier and wife Erica and Emma Lanier; Great Grandchildren: Colton Hall, Audrey Smolenski, Willow Hall; his sister, Betty Lou Hoffman, predeceased him; her husband Charol “Chuck” Hoffman resides in Las Vegas NV. 

His cousin, Donald Marks whom he considered his brother, predeceased him.

Many cousins and a nephew, Charles Jones, also survive him.              

Memorial visitation will be Saturday, July 17, 2021, from 11am-1pm at Wallkill Funeral Home, 12 Bonaventura Ave., Wallkill, NY 12589.

Burial will follow at 1:30 in the Ulster County Veterans Section at New Paltz Rural Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, it is requested that memorial donations be made to: Vietnam Veterans of America www.vva.org/donate, Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, www.hospiceoforange.com/ways-to-give, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550; Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, www.pancan.org 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266; ASPCA, www.aspca.org/ways-to-give , 424 East 92nd St., NY, NY 10128-6804.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David "Whitey" Marks, please visit our floral store.