Stories from Friends
My name is Allen Duncan.
I worked for Mark from the summer of 1982 until (I think) May of 1985.
I have occasionally emailed Mark and visited his website. However, I think it has been a few years (pre-pandemic.....it seems ...I
thought more recently, but the last 4 years have been a bit of a blur). Yesterday I visited his website and realized Mark has passed away.
I worked for Mark during the period when Mark Mitchell also worked for him...and Russel Johnson (sporadically, because I think Russel was in Vet School by then).
I wanted you to know that Mark affected me in many positive ways... and that working for Mark undoubtedly made me a better person with more empathy.
Mark had a great sense of humor. You know that. I was an uptight little shit, worried about my grades...he could always bring me
into the moment. I also was not sure what to do with my life. Mark encouraged me to stay in Mechanical Engineering. I believe both your dad and your brother David were Mechanical Engineers. Mark made sure to tell me what a good life that education provided. So, as it turned out....I stayed at A&M for 9 total years, getting B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Mark's inspiration in that endeavor is not trivial. I will always owe him. He pushed me to be a better, more committed student indirectly through his work in computer science....he was a great example.
Between my Masters and PhD, I left College Station for three years. When I returned in 1990 to work on the PhD, my wife Jan and I would occasionally run into Mark at Dud's. He was always kind and funny. Mark could have chosen to let his injury define him, but he did not. Few have that kind of commitment.
Mark was a gift in my life. One of those people who make you better. I can only repay that by trying to do the same for a few others. Thank you. Words do not suffice...but know that my gratitude and good fortune are immense.
My career has been at the US Environmental Protection Agency in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Last time Mark and I emailed he talked about the fun he had in Michigan as a kid. I think about that as I ride my bike and run on the roads and trails here in Washtenaw County.
My heart goes out to you, your mom, and your entire family.
....and my gratitude for Mark is for as long as I am alive.
Luck can be incredibly cruel and incredibly beneficial. The luck I had in knowing Mark was incredibly beneficial to me....in huge ways such as education, professional success, and a better understanding of the complexities of life.
Hi Susan,
I saw that Mark passed and wanted to send the following about my time with him:
My name is Brian Hickner, and I worked as a care assistant for Mark from 2017 to 2018 during my time as a college student at Texas A&M.
Working for Mark was not your typical college job. It involved early mornings (at least by college student standards) assisting Mark with his morning routine and coming back at night to help him get to bed, usually after he was done hanging out at Dudley's on Northgate. It involved tasks such as helping him with daily exercises, getting him dressed and into his chair for the day, and even braiding his hip-length hair. Even after 16 months, I'm not sure I mastered the last task.
Mark was extremely fastidious and trained all of his assistants personally. Working for Mark meant that everything you did for him needed to be done perfectly, because anything less could have huge impacts on his health and quality of life. The standard Mark set for me taught me discipline and attention to detail, and in my job now as a surgical resident I am continually surprised by how much practical knowledge I gained from him.
I think about Mark often. I am thankful for the personal growth I had while working for him, but am even more thankful for the inspiration he provides when I remember him. Mark was dealt what many would consider a bad hand. In spite of this, he lived a full life and I never saw him demonstrate an ounce of self-pity. The strength and will Mark displayed in his daily life continues to amaze and motivate me, and I will always remember him for that.
Brian Hickner, MD
Thank you Susan,
Mark was deep in my heart yesterday and I was poking around his page and music.
Mark was obviously crucial in my life as a young man.
I grew up in college station,
Went to Blinn Jr. college and worked for Mark in about ‘87. Then lived with him as he moved into his new home and help remodel his room and house. We sure had fun on a trip to the Grand Canyon and a few other national parks. Pure adventure. But it was me who was being remodeled and changed.
I saw some things I wanted to do with the little I had, a new discovery in me.
In short, I moved from home and went on to graduate in Recreation Therapy, moved to Montana and did outdoor activities in treatment setting for years. I then went to seminary and became a chaplain in the hospital setting.
I am now a hospice chaplain in the Austin area. My wife and I hold Mark a huge part of our story. We ran in to some musicians who were severally physically impaired… later me and these guys really wanted to hear Marks harmonica rifts!
He is a true hero friend and teacher in my life.
His laughter, his grit, his loyalty, his seriousness, his artistic abilities, his worries, his pig cooking pit, his love of his dog, his love for y’all and your folks…. Always with me.
I hope you are well.
Peace,
Charlie McMurrey
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mark’s old college roommate Charlie McMurray told me about him. I wish I could have met him. I love his harmonica playing on these tracks.
Best,
Kevin Jordan