Mark RAINBIRD Obituary

Mr Rainbird was one of the best teachers I had the pleasure of being taught by. Art was never something I was good at, but he pushed me to give it my best. The class atmosphere was always really chill and fun, the banter was awesome. Rest easy, and thanks for everything.

I have just finished your wonderful memorial. Wish I could have been part of it but so glad we had our last party the other week end. Hope I will be as brave as you when my time comes. Love you Mark

Very sad news to hear the Birdman has passed.I played basketball with and against Mark for quite afew years,Canterbury B,Total fitness,Aranui etc.I have alot of really good memories with him,he was a character.Rest easy my friend.

Very sad to hear of Marks passing, one of life´s true characters. Sitting on the floor in our basement taking a moment to reflect on Mark and hoops all those years ago. .... Reading some other memories folk have left, it´s not hard to see how many lives Mark touched. He will be missed. Thoughts go out to family and friends.

Best wishes and love, to Pat and his family, on the sad premature departure of Mark. The many comments by others are all so true, Mark was truly unique, full of charisma and humour and multi talented. His many interests and talents must have been difficult to prioritise and always made him "interesting" to be around. He led our Canterbury U23 basketball team to a national title and we also enjoyed him as a person and a talented player over several years with the Canterbury Rams. Just thinking about him makes me smile - and feel sad. Rest in peace Mark.

I first met Mark in my big sister's circle of Linwood High friends in the mid 80s. He was the school basketball legend. Mark then came to teach at Cashmere High and became a mate as well as a colleague. I'll never forget watching the Tall Blacks soar in 2002 ... in his classroom and while he was teaching a class! Always a man to prioritize the important things in life. Rest in peace big guy.

I knew mark as a player a few years older than me and I watched him in the rams. He was a savant in the realm of rams folklore. Legend has it that he wore his after match dress gear under his rams tracksuit during one home game warm up convinced that keith mair wasn´t going to put him in!

Later I relieved marks classes at cashmere high and quickly realised he wasnt your average sport head! A Smart guy with a curious mind and he developed a lot of interests. His students loved him and he loved a staff room gag.

Rest In Peace big fella! I know a lot of very different people who had a lot of love and respect for you.

Dave langrell

So sorry to hear of Mark's passing. Love to all the family. Thinking of you Jo, Steph and Darren. Many fantastic memories with the Rainbirds in the old Aranui Basketball Club days.

... a huge presence in the lives of so many young MB players. Such sad news.

love to you all

Mr Rainbird was a great support in developing Myself and many others into the leadership roles of MBC as prefects, this message represents the condolences of the MBC class of 2015, Without Mark, we wouldn´t have had many of the life skills we have today. A great man, who will not be forgotten by the students he Taught
Sending love to the family

Dear Pat, Sally and family we are so very sorry to learn of the loss of your Mark. Our hearts and thoughts go out to you all. Our two sons remember him well at Marlborough boys and thought he was a great guy. Love from Ray, Katrina and family XXXX

very sad to hear the loss of Mark.
He was a great basketballer with a wicked sense of humour.
rest in peace
Chris

A giant of a man and gentle in nature. I played with Mark in the rams and club basketball. One of the teams was called total fitness and played club and division 2. We travelled the south island for div 2 basketball, Matt hall had bought a new suv and we traveled to Nelson in it. On the way home mark wanted to have a drive so Matt let him. Further up the road, well a long way actually we could smell this burning and couldn't figure what that was.Matt finally worked out Mark had left the handdbrake on and Matt was shall we say was not impressed.
Great fun and times always Rainman.

Pat and I were so sad to read about Mark's passing. I felt truly blessed that basketball brought the 'Bird' and I together. The 'Bird' was truly a pleasure to coach since he had a great basketball IQ and love for the game.
Rest In Peace Mark.
Steve (Coach)

Sending our love to you all, and Sympathy for your tragic loss, so grateful for all the memories we will treasure of this fine human. Rest well in peace Mark

My decades knowing Mark were firstly social, where it was a mix of fun, and constant laughter, followed by some question marks, followed by some off the wall questions, followed by a hangover . . . . . . . Secondly, I knew him for many years as a National League basketball player. I was the the Rams manager. We often had new players, be they young blood, or often new American import players . . . . . . and then there was Mark Rainbird. I won't mention their names, but the Coaches Keith and Bert had a far different outlook as to how a player fits in as a "team player". And as I was the go between in a lot of ways, I had the "simple task" of hoping he turned up at the airport wearing his team gear for travelling , for having his shoot around gear, his playing shoes etc ! Basketball wise he is the quintessential round peg in a square hole. In his life outside of basketball, I only recently exchanged FBook contact a few years ago and have admired where he was, and what he meant to so many, especially once the Big C turned up. I have lost several people to what he went through, and I was hopeful he had made it through . . . . . . . the last time I saw him was at Brenda and Webbies, and as he left I said "it was really good to see you" , he smiled , and not knowing what I meant perhaps, I repeated it was "REALLY" good to see him after having lost others, thinking he was on the mend . Apparently not. The only word I can think of is enigma . . . . . .

Thinking of you all at this very sad time and hope you are coping. Mark was a great fantastic human being

Soo sorry to hear about Mark.
I knew him when he played for the Canterbury Rams in early 1990s during Keith Mairs era.He was a great committed player and a great man.He continued to give freely of his time and love for the sport over many years in Nelson.RIP.Mark you will be greatly missed by your many friends and fellow basketball lovers.

Pat, Sally and families. Our thoughts are with you through this tough time.

Deepest sympathy to you all. We are thinking of you

Ali, Ryan and Nardia Roselli