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From: Kenn Ritchey
Mark and I remained very close after highschool and after our little R 'n R band disolved. I don't believe he completed college and after he ran out of options in STL, he moved away to Aspen, CO where he became a rather successful chef, primarily at a place named Wienerstube. Mark's mom and dad passed away rather early on and as an only child, he was on his own out there. I went out once to visit, to fail miserably at skiing (while he was highly proficient), and to get fooled into snacking on his brownies (again). Mark passed away in a little cottege he had for himself out there - likely 1986 or a year later. He was battling bronchitis, had started a typed letter to me, ate half a frozen pizza and had a half bottle of red wine before going to sleep. He later choked to death flat on his back in bed. Mark had one remaining uncle I visited with after the fact; he ran many tests to try to discern why Mark would die as he did, but nothing came back untoward (drugs, foulplay, etc.).
Mark was a highly compulsive, adrenaline fueled personality. He lived on the edge too much for my taste, yet there was no talking him down. At times Mark would show up much too baked, overweight and Belushie like; and the next time I saw him he was a chislted athlete, having gone in 100% on mountain bicycling - there was no halfway or inbetween with him. He didn't suffer fools easily, though rather than lose his patience with others, he'd ususally squint and chuckle to an unknown punchline. I only met Mark through the church our parents brought us up in down in Baden, we finally got into school together sophmore year at RGHS. In the end, many of the lessons learned all those years ago at that UCC church would rise to the top with Mark - one just had to give him time allow such wisdom to come through. He was a great guy and I still miss him today.
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Kenn Ritchey
Mark and I remained very close after highschool and after our little R 'n R band disolved. I don't believe he completed college and after he ran out of options in STL, he moved away to Aspen, CO where he became a rather successful chef, primarily at a place named Wienerstube. Mark's mom and dad passed away rather early on and as an only child, he was on his own out there. I went out once to visit, to fail miserably at skiing (while he was highly proficient), and to get fooled into snacking on his brownies (again). Mark passed away in a little cottege he had for himself out there - likely 1986 or a year later. He was battling bronchitis, had started a typed letter to me, ate half a frozen pizza and had a half bottle of red wine before going to sleep. He later choked to death flat on his back in bed. Mark had one remaining uncle I visited with after the fact; he ran many tests to try to discern why Mark would die as he did, but nothing came back untoward (drugs, foulplay, etc.).
Mark was a highly compulsive, adrenaline fueled personality. He lived on the edge too much for my taste, yet there was no talking him down. At times Mark would show up much too baked, overweight and Belushie like; and the next time I saw him he was a chislted athlete, having gone in 100% on mountain bicycling - there was no halfway or inbetween with him. He didn't suffer fools easily, though rather than lose his patience with others, he'd ususally squint and chuckle to an unknown punchline. I only met Mark through the church our parents brought us up in down in Baden, we finally got into school together sophmore year at RGHS. In the end, many of the lessons learned all those years ago at that UCC church would rise to the top with Mark - one just had to give him time allow such wisdom to come through. He was a great guy and I still miss him today.