Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Mark was a unique guy with a great sense of humor, an infectious smile and his own style. He's the only guy I've ever known that would wear his best silk shirt to change the oil in his car, before he went on a date. I remember sharing a double-wide trailer with him and Chris when I first went to SIU, what an experience. One warm Spring day, we discovered that the connection under the toilet had broken and we had been flushing onto the ground under our mobile home for months. Not one to hesitate, Mark crawled under the trailer and hooked us back up. I don't recall what he did with those clothes, but I hope he burned them.
Mark could build instant rapport with just about anyone. He could also quickly make you regret crossing him. His wrestling skills were epic. I know he struggled for many years, but in the end, Mark worked to improve the lives of others. One example is when he worked with a group from Chicago to bring aid to the victims of the tornado that ripped through our hometown of Washington.
I learned a lot from Mark over the years, both good and bad. Thank you Mark for your positive impact on the world.
