My cousin Mark remembered and a request

Mark Miller and I never really discussed the gaming industry.

His favorite interests were music, auto racing and politics, in no particular order.

Mark was one of my wife’s many first cousins. But after nearly 25 years of marriage, I believe I earned the right to call him my cousin also.

During many a family gathering, Mark was the life of the party. At one such reunion in Las Vegas, when everyone decided upon Mexican food for lunch, I suggested the Pink Taco at the Hard Rock.

Mark took great delight in the “other” meaning of the restaurant’s name, as well as the company and the food. I was happy to have given him another reason for a good laugh.

Mark lost his two-year battle with brain cancer last month at the age of 56. He died the way he wanted to go out, with dignity at his home in Canyon Country, Calif., surrounded by his wife Debbie, son Justin, mother Betty, and brother Steve.

We celebrated Mark’s life last week. Debbie, a retired U.S. Postal carrier, suggested another way of carrying on Mark’s memory.

The Brain Tumor Awareness Organization is petitioning the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee to approve a U.S. Postal Service brain tumor awareness stamp.

Go to http://www.braintumor.org and click on the Get Involved section. There you can sign the electronic petition in support of the stamp.

I signed it this weekend. I hope others will do the same.