CLINTON, Tenn. — The Museum of Appalachia said that a caretaker of the grounds and the animals passed away on Saturday.
They said Mark Southerland tended to the museum and was known to friends as 'Mark Deerman' for his fascination with deer. They said he lived in a cabin near the Museum Hall of Fame and covered the cabin with everything deer-related.
They also said he loved cycling, watching movies and taking things apart just to put them back together again.
"Mark was inventive, creative, but most of all — he was kind," officials said in a post on social media. "His quirky and charming disposition drew media attention; he was featured in several Heartland Series episodes, as well as segments from local television stations."
Officials said the museum would not have grown to where it is today if it was not for his caring help, and they said they will forever miss him.
