In Memory of Mark C. Healy
April 5, 1955 ­ October 1, 2003

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist …” as the saying goes. But as Mark C. Healy liked to say “I REALLY AM a rocket scientist.” His love and passion for space ­ the final frontier ­ he brought to all frontiers in his life with his children, his soul mate, his family and friends, neighbors and co-workers, and of course, the Maryland Terrapins.

Mark lived life to the fullest, from his birth in Puerto Rico, to growing up in Alabama, Italy, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to being husband and father, and aerospace engineer with NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He was especially proud of and good friends with his sons Kyle and Travis, providing a home for them together with and later separately from Mary Nell Healy, his friend, former spouse, and mother of his children. Mark leaves a legacy to his children of working and playing hard, taking responsibility for your actions and striving to do the best in all you do. For his family he excelled in “being there”; dependable during times of need for his parents during their lives, illness and deaths and as a “Bro” for Tim, Joan and Kevin.

Mark’s work represented his bridge between his religious tradition, the scientific and the sacred. Later this month, the satellite Mark worked on the past several years will be launched into orbit. Mark will be there in spirit.

Many also know Mark as that avid Terps fan with his jester’s hat and “Fear the Terps” sign at the University of Maryland basketball games that characterized his sense of loyalty, humor and comraderie with friends and fellow fans. As a former athlete he had the strength and endurance of mind and body, even in the face of a rare disease that quickly overcame him.

Last but not least, his last year of life was enriched and fulfilled by discovering his life’s love, Chris Brehm. They visioned their future lives together, and blending of families with Kyle, Travis and Chris’s children Erin, Morgan, Drew and Conner. The joy they discovered at this point in their lives sustained Mark with the physical, emotional and spiritual comfort through six months of illness. In his final days Mark was surrounded with the love of Travis, Kyle, Chris, brothers Tim, Kevin and wife Dale, sister Joan, Aunt Marty, Mary Nell, Chris’s family, and his friends and co-workers in the last steps of his 48 year journey on planet Earth. He died Wednesday October 1, 2003.

A memorial service celebrating his life will be held 1:30pm Sunday, October 5th at the Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church, 3215 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD (http://www.pbuuc.org). A memorial tree planting will also be held at a later date in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. To support efforts to educate, advocate and support those diagnosed with Primary Amyloidosis visit the Amyloidosis Support Network website at: http://www.amyloidosis.org. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to your local hospice.