Sandy Steele (Bauman)

So sorry to hear the news about Marc. We will keep he and his family in our prayers. Thanks Gene for sharing this and to Gail for the caring bridge website. We know many people who have communicated this way.

Stephen (Steve) Dixon

Sad news. So tough.

Some of us went through the long fight with Barb Hay, when breast cancer re-emerged and, then, spread all over. It's hard to see a contemporary, one of "US" in the absolute sense, go down to that ugly disease.

I remember Mark as a very nice guy. Nice to everybody. Somebody that I don't remember ever injecting a fuss or a note of controversy into the day. Can't say something like that about many people.

Barbara Kahn (Tepper)

Thank you Gene for the update on Mark.  We're all very sad to hear this news.  It's something we have to face and it doesn't get any easier to accept.  Sending prayers and good wishes to Mark and his family.  

Helen Sayrs (Hurley)

So sorry to hear about Mark -- too young.  Our thoughts and prayers are with him & his family.

Evan Burkholder

My thoughts and prayers are with Mark and his family. He will be remembered. 

Diane Wiesen (Todd)

There is a photo on the CB site of him with his family. He was, and is, a big and beautiful man. So sorry. 

Mary Benjamin

Very sad to hear aboout Marc, remember him as a big, handsome, sweet guy. Very sorry for his family and close friends including some of our classmates.

Gene Stern

I just received this from John Courter and wanted to share it as it came from Karen re Mark  :

Mark passed from this world to the next around 4:10 this morning. 

Luke, Kate, and I were all around the bed with him to say goodbye and send him on his way. It was a beautiful moment in its own way.

We are very grateful to the tremendous people at Hospice of Cincinnati who made this as comfortable as it could be for Joe, and for us. It truly is a wonderful service. 

This was so quick. We just came home Friday. But we are comforted knowing Mark did not suffer much here at the end. 

We are hoping to plan a visitation Friday night and a memorial service sometime on Saturday.  

Thank you for your love, friendship, support, and prayers. 

Karen, Luke, & Kate.

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

RIP Mark. With your EAGLES wings may you fly among the angels. 

Sandy Steele (Bauman)

So sorry to hear about Mark's passing, but glad that his family was with him this morning. Hospice of Cincinnati have helped so many, and glad they could be there for his family.

Philip Spiess

Though I did not know Mark well, I did know that he was a sincere and caring person.  Thank you, Gene, for passing on the information on how to contact his family and about Hospice of Cincinnati.  My own father passed in Hospice of Cincinnati in 2003, and among his last requests that they allowed to be fulfilled was his desire for a dry Martini (administered by eye-dropper by my niece).   

Dexter Roger Dixon

RIP, Mark.

David R. Schneider

RIP, Mark.  It is sad when one of own passes so young. The obit is in the Enquirer.  Mark gave back to his local community.  I echo others comments about Hospice of Cincinnati.

Bonnie Altman (Templeton)

My condolences to Mark's family. I , too am glad he was spared some suffering.

David Buchholz

There's no easy way to break away from the sadness that we all feel in Mark's passing.  It's probably largely predictable at age 68, but until Rick, Dick, Gail, and Nelson (I don't want to leave anyone out) set up this web site I had lost contact with so many of the WHHS alums, including Mark, and it has been a source of great joy to reconnect with so many of you and to share, however distant we are, in a loss. I'm posting a photograph to honor Mark, an image I took this week, of a phalaenopsis (Bonnie, is this right?).  I'm better at images than I am with words.  R.I.P.  Mark.

P.S.  My wife has been a hospice volunteer for the past twelve years.  A most rewarding volunteer activity.

Philip Spiess

I copy Dave in applauding those who set up this Website.  I'm sure all of you can tell that it's been a pleasure for me to reconnect with those -- namely you! -- with whom I inhabited a community for six (all too short) years, those years being seminal ones in my -- and your -- development.  We've now reached the age of retrogression, decomposition, and senescence (did I mention defenestration?  Stay away from windows!).  And it's not just our parents of whom I speak, most of whom have already passed, to say nothing of older siblings, it's us -- we're going!  So let's communicate with and enjoy and revel in each other and each others' lives while we still can!  So bless this Website!  

Michael Hunting

Did all of you know that Steve West ran Hospice (Blue Ash) for several years?

Echoing all of your sentiments, RIP, Mark.

Gail Weintraub (Stern)

Thank you, Phil and David, for complimenting those who set up and continue to maintain our class website. I don't want to overlook the contributions of Larry Klein, Sally Fox Korkin and Tina Preuninger Hisrich. Through our website we have been able to reconnect with the vast majority of our classmates. We share our ups, downs and everything in between.  As we grieve the loss of Mark, let us also remember our 30 other classmates who predeceased him prior to the establishment of this forum. May they all be remembered by us. 

Ira Goldberg

Mark was the person we can aspire to be, leading a life of caring about others, contributing to our communities, and inspiring those who follow - especially our children. May he rest well and his family find peace.

Zola Makrauer

RIP Mark... A great guy...  he will be missed.

Thomas Lounds Jr.

I, too, miss Mark. RIP, big guy.  Am I the only former teacher on the form?  What a class  !   

Gail Weintraub (Stern)

Yes, Mr. Lounds, you are the only teacher on the our class website; you were our class advisor.

Nelson Abanto

Awkward thoughts at a painful time:

The news of Mark's passing really blindsided me.  It stirred many thoughts some of which I have posted in the In memoriam section and one of which I would like to share here.

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

Ditto. 

Laura Reid (Pease)

Mark was such a great guy and very kind and soft spoken.  I think it was junior year when my Dad needed help planting a tree in the back yard.  He knew and liked Mark and Mike Boyers and asked them to help him one Saturday afternoon.  I'm sure they thought it would be a half hour project.  Dad was an engineer and pretty particular.  They dug the hole and put the root ball in; the hole wasn't big enough; out came the tree; dig some more; root ball in; now the hole was too big; root ball out; backfill; root ball in; tree leaning too far left; tree leaning too far right, etc., etc., etc.  I am inside by now absolutely dying of embarrassment.  But they were both so patient with Dad and got that tree just right.....Dad paid them, probably not enough; I never knew how much because I was still hiding inside.  My Dad talked about Mike and Mark for years....."what nice polite boys!  and so strong!!  I couldn't have done it without them."

And Gail, you are so right; we have lost so many wonderful people from our class; let's not forget ANY of them. God bless all those families.  Give of yourself to those we have with us now.  Happy Valentine's Day to all!