Obituary of Rev. Dorff

Mark L. Dorff, beloved husband, father, grandfather, pastor, and friend passed away on August 5, 2009. Mark was born in Tulsa on February 13, 1934, to Rev. Earl and Anabel Dorff and was a graduate of Classen High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City University, and Garrett-Evangelical School of Theology. In 1983, he received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from McMurry University. He began serving United Methodist congregations while a high school senior. Upon completion of his seminary degree, he served two appointments in Oklahoma before transferring to the New Mexico Annual Conference. During his thirty year ministry in New Mexico, he served seven congregations, was the Conference Director of Mission and Administration and a District Superintendent. Mark retired in 1997, but "flunked retirement" several times by serving as the interim senior pastor in two churches, the interim Executive Director of the Sacramento Methodist Assembly in Sacramento, NM, the Chaplain at Oklahoma Methodist Manor in Tulsa, the interim Executive Director of Mt. Sequoyah Conference and Retreat Center in Fayetteville, AR, and Director of Church Relations for The Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation. Mark was loved and respected by family and friends and was a man of character and integrity at every level. He is preceded in death by his parents; by his wife of 35 years, Elizabeth "Babs" Garrahan; and by his sister, Marilyn Buzbee. He is survived by his wife, Ann, of Tulsa; brother, Bishop James Dorff and his wife, Barbara, of San Antonio, TX; daughter, Tracy West and her husband, Larry, of Albuquerque, NM; son Gregory Dorff and his wife, Jill, of Lincoln, NE; son Kevin Dorff and his wife, Deborah, of New York City, NY; step-daughter DeDe Sageser and her husband, Troy, of Tulsa; step-son Kelly Ford and his wife, Vickie, of Tulsa, OK; step-daughter, Shelley Rice of Vancouver, WA; sister-in-law, Nita Daly and her husband, John, of Albuquerque, NM; sister-in-law, Mej Blake, and her husband, Joseph of Glen Mills, PA; brother-in-law, John Paul Buzbee and wife, Alice, of Anadarko, OK; eight grandchildren; three nephews and one niece; and a host of friends. A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church on Friday, August 7, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Oklahoma Methodist Manor - Lifetimes Campaign, Memory Support Center - at 4134 E. 31, Tulsa, OK 74135; First United Methodist Church - Far Sighted Campaign - at 1115 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK 74119; The Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation - LIFE Scholarship Fund - at 4201 N. Classen, Oklahoma City, OK 73118; or Mt. Sequoyah Conference and Retreat Center at 150 NW Skyline Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72701.&nbsp; To make an online donation click below: <span style="font-family: 'helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'times new roman'; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"><a href="http://www.epartnersingiving.com/revdrmarklynndorff" target="http://www.epartnersingiving.com/revdrmarklynndorff">http://www.epartnersingiving.com/revdrmarklynndorff</a></span> Ninde Brookside 918.742.5556 <p></p>