Mark Skelton, former publisher of DIY Week, Hardware & Garden Review and Housewares Magazine died on Friday September 12. He was 48.
Mark joined Faversham House Group in 1991 as southern advertisement manager on Heating and Ventilating Review, and moved rapidly into more senior roles. He transferred to the Home Improvement Division as group advertisement manager in 1996, responsible for Hardware & Garden Review, DIY Superstore and Housewares Focus, and was promoted to publisher in 1999. When FHG bought the former Miller Freeman titles DIY Week and Housewares shortly afterwards, his responsibility was extended to include them as well, and he continued to run them until he left the company in 2001 to further his career in magazine publishing.

Mark was diagnosed with cancer in autumn 2007, and underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but learned in January this year that the treatment had not succeeded, and the cancer was inoperable. He leaves a widow, Amanda - who has herself been diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the spine - and an 11-year-old daughter, Emily.

He had also developed a second career writing children's fiction, with a first book due to be published in January 2009, and a further four to follow.

The funeral service will be held on Thursday September 25 at Surrey and Sussex Crematorium, Balcombe Road, Crawley, Sussex at 3.15 pm. Mark's family has asked for no flowers, but donations to: St Peter & St James Hospice & Continuing Care Centre, North Common Road, North Chailey, Lewes, East Sussex BN8 4ED.