John "Mark" Andrus

With our hearts full of love and sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved John Mark Andrus. Mark passed away unexpectedly on October 2, 2026, in a traffic accident while riding his bicycle, a hobby he loved. A man of unyielding faith and honor, Mark leaves behind a legacy of love and compassion for all those who were lucky enough to know him.

Mark was born on May 22, 1956, in Roosevelt, Utah, to DeVon and Mary Andrus. After his mother passed away when he was only three-years-old, he later welcomed his second mother, JoAnn, who survives him. With 10 siblings, Mark was always surrounded by love at home and often spoke fondly of his childhood: milking cows, playing sports, and singing with his family.

A devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Mark chose to serve a two-year mission when he was 19-years-old, called to Düsseldorf, Germany. Another missionary, Richard Fitt, took him under his wing and introduced Mark to his younger sister, Bonnie Sue Fitt, through written correspondence. Mark and Bonnie continued to write letters to each other throughout Mark’s mission, eventually meeting in-person at Brigham Young University, and getting married and sealed for time and all eternity on June 7, 1978, in the Salt Lake City Temple. Mark is survived by Bonnie and their six children: Brooke, Rob, Tina, Brett, Amy, and Jessica.

Mark completed his undergraduate degree at BYU and went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah law school. Mark worked both as a public defender and a prosecutor before becoming a juvenile court judge in 1994. He spent 22 years serving the Second Judicial District of Utah before retiring in 2016.

Being drawn to the missionary field once again, Mark served two additional missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with his wife, Bonnie, after his retirement. The first was in Accra, Ghana, and the other Frankfurt, Germany. Both of these missions were with the Church’s Office of General Counsel, allowing Mark to utilize his legal background to serve the faith he so loved.

Mark brought joy and laughter with him wherever he went. He went through periods of time where he would text all of his adult children “Dad Jokes” he had collected over the years (A recent one: What do you call someone who is really fast at altering clothes? Tailor Swift.). He enjoyed writing poetry and was an avid journalist. Mark was a dedicated reader, enjoyed playing board games, watching movies, and attending sporting events with his wife and children. He always had a deep love of music and taught all of his children silly folk songs and ditties they remember to this day. He deeply loved his children and made sure they all knew it, writing personalized letters to each of them every Christmas. His grandchildren loved reading books, singing songs, and wrestling with their grandfather. Mark is missed by all who knew him.

We believe we will see our beloved husband and father again and are eternally grateful to our Savior, Jesus Christ, who ensures that death is not the end.

Mark is preceded in death by his father, DeVon Andrus; mother, Mary Andrus; brother, Jay Andrus; sister, Robyn Andrus; and grandson, Whit Derrick. He is survived by his wife, six children, and eleven grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, October 10, 2026 with a viewing before from 8:45-9:45am, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 77 S. Orchard Lane, Fruit Heights, UT 84037. A viewing will also be available 6:00-8:00pm on Friday, October 9, 2026 at the Russon Brothers Mortuary in Farmington, UT.