Mark and I became friends during our Hixson years. I spent quite a bit of time hanging out at his place one summer. He had an air-conditioned house, I did not. Mark hosted an after party after one of the Hixson all school dances, and he and I put together a summer party at his place when we were all on our way to 10th grade at Webster high. Mark was an only child, and it must have broken his parents hearts when he developed cancer at such a young age. We have the memories.
I was best friends with Mark in 10th grade. We bummed around all the time. And yes, he was pretty darned smart. He helped me jerry-rig an 8-track player into my '62 Ford Fairlane (that didn't have power steering), and in Mr. Brucker's calculus class senior year, we both wasted an entire hour trying to argue with the old guy on real numbers as opposed to "unreal" numbers, something we thought we were intelligent enough to stall Brucker on. Mark was much more adept at continuing the farce than I was, calculus-challenged as I was! Brucker, Mr. Bow Tie himself, would look at Mark and ask him if he got a concept, and Mark would confidently just look at him and say, "I can derive it". It was cocky, but Mark could back it up. Very sad that our 10th year reunion was the last time we saw him.
Mark was really smart, as everyone has said, and a great friend. I was so saddened to hear of his passing so many years ago. The world missed out on the many ideas and joys he would have contributed.
Mark and I hung out together in marching band and orchestra. He was French horn, I was drums. He also played bass guitar if I remember correctly. But clearest memories were from Fort Nightly dances at the Monday Club. He and I thought we were clever and would comment back and forth to each other with nebulous pitter patter and idle observations as we passed each other on the dance floor, impersonating Maurice Chivalier, partners bewildered about what we were saying. His favorite was saying "Oh, her hair looks like spring." I would reply, "no, it's a fall." Yes, this was middle school. Brilliant in many ways, he was.
I took weekly piano lessons before school and Mrs. Preissler was my very patient teacher. When the lesson was over, Mark would come out of his bedroom and we would walk out the back door, through the back gate onto the Edgar Road School playground. He always walked with me. Always. Yes,he was a good friend. Also, one winter, Mark, Walter Roth and I took swimming lessons together at the Brentwood YMCA. What a trio. The lessons were pretty much a disaster but we had fun in the car ride to and from. Great memories.💜 Cindy Gable Blasor
Mike was a great guy and so talented. Super with car stereos. I first heard Fleetwood Mac (Rhiannon) on his car stereo and it (the incredibly crisp sound and the song) completely blew me away. We also took a film class together and made a film called "Superball". We used ping-pong balls for Superball and all the characters. The shop keeper was burned up by robbers but one robber got smashed by Superball landing on him and another by Superball dropping a ping-pong paddle on him. We had a riot together making it - and got an A for it! Obviously he also had a great sense of humor.
Galen Cox
Mark was one of the smartest people I've ever met. He left us way to soon.
Kathleen F. Kane
Mark was also handsome as can be, and kind and smart.
Philip V. Spradling
Mark and I became friends during our Hixson years. I spent quite a bit of time hanging out at his place one summer. He had an air-conditioned house, I did not. Mark hosted an after party after one of the Hixson all school dances, and he and I put together a summer party at his place when we were all on our way to 10th grade at Webster high. Mark was an only child, and it must have broken his parents hearts when he developed cancer at such a young age. We have the memories.
Michael Pappas
I was best friends with Mark in 10th grade. We bummed around all the time. And yes, he was pretty darned smart. He helped me jerry-rig an 8-track player into my '62 Ford Fairlane (that didn't have power steering), and in Mr. Brucker's calculus class senior year, we both wasted an entire hour trying to argue with the old guy on real numbers as opposed to "unreal" numbers, something we thought we were intelligent enough to stall Brucker on. Mark was much more adept at continuing the farce than I was, calculus-challenged as I was! Brucker, Mr. Bow Tie himself, would look at Mark and ask him if he got a concept, and Mark would confidently just look at him and say, "I can derive it". It was cocky, but Mark could back it up. Very sad that our 10th year reunion was the last time we saw him.
Keith Maskus
Mark was really smart, as everyone has said, and a great friend. I was so saddened to hear of his passing so many years ago. The world missed out on the many ideas and joys he would have contributed.
Dale C. Hetzler
Mark and I hung out together in marching band and orchestra. He was French horn, I was drums. He also played bass guitar if I remember correctly. But clearest memories were from Fort Nightly dances at the Monday Club. He and I thought we were clever and would comment back and forth to each other with nebulous pitter patter and idle observations as we passed each other on the dance floor, impersonating Maurice Chivalier, partners bewildered about what we were saying. His favorite was saying "Oh, her hair looks like spring." I would reply, "no, it's a fall." Yes, this was middle school. Brilliant in many ways, he was.
Cynthia G. Gable (Blasor)
I took weekly piano lessons before school and Mrs. Preissler was my very patient teacher. When the lesson was over, Mark would come out of his bedroom and we would walk out the back door, through the back gate onto the Edgar Road School playground. He always walked with me. Always. Yes,he was a good friend.Also, one winter, Mark, Walter Roth and I took swimming lessons together at the Brentwood YMCA. What a trio. The lessons were pretty much a disaster but we had fun in the car ride to and from. Great memories.💜
Cindy Gable Blasor
Richard Feldmann
Here's a picture of Mark (far right) with his Harmony bass guitar. It was in the Webster/Kirkwood Times probably around 1966.
Jonathan (Jon) A. Knight
Mike was a great guy and so talented. Super with car stereos. I first heard Fleetwood Mac (Rhiannon) on his car stereo and it (the incredibly crisp sound and the song) completely blew me away. We also took a film class together and made a film called "Superball". We used ping-pong balls for Superball and all the characters. The shop keeper was burned up by robbers but one robber got smashed by Superball landing on him and another by Superball dropping a ping-pong paddle on him. We had a riot together making it - and got an A for it! Obviously he also had a great sense of humor.