Mark E. Smith

Mark’s fight with polio began 70 years ago when he and his older sister Susan fell victim to the disease as it swept the country in the 1950s. Mark’s case was severe, and at a critical point his parents and pediatrician were informed he had died. His life was saved when his quick-thinking doctor rushed into Mark’s room, picked him up by his feet and shook him and he began breathing again. Mark’s only memories of the hospital were fond ones: twice daily swim sessions in the deep Hubbard tank. After discharge, therapy continued as regular family swim nights at the “Y” an activity that nudged all four boys to scouting and their eventual Eagle rank. During high school, Mark worked as a lifeguard and later served as scout camp waterfront director, teaching scores of children to swim.

After graduating from Schlarman High School in 1963, Mark enrolled at Notre Dame, majoring in English. While there, he joined ROTC to help finance his education. After graduation in 1967, he began active duty in Seattle and in 1968 married Karen Russian, his high school sweetheart. After his Army discharge, Mark pursued an MA at Seattle University to prepare for a career teaching college English. As a teaching assistant, he began to see the value of teaching in a different, less regimented way. He wrote in a later journal entry that not only allowing, but encouraging students to think, talk and write about the issues that touch their lives leads to engaged and interested students who care about their work.

In 1970, Mark and Karen moved to Marquette, MI on the shore of Lake Superior where Mark began his 49 year teaching career at Northern Michigan University where he would leave a lasting impression on the English department and on NMU. While studying for his doctorate at University of Michigan, he wrote his dissertation on student-centered learning and peer tutoring. Upon his return to Northern’s campus, he followed through with those principles and was instrumental in establishing the Writing Center with free peer-tutoring open to all NMU students.

Mark was also one the founding members of the Upper Peninsula Writing Project, an organization devoted to helping teachers reinvigorate their own writing and pass that enthusiasm to their students. Mark always pushed students and himself to put down on paper the thoughts that were foremost in our minds, the feelings that were closest to our hearts in that moment. He set an example by keeping a daily journal for more than 50 years, often writing in class right beside his students and offering his own essays and journal entries for comments by the class.

Mark’s belief in the effectiveness of authentic, personal writing was equally evident outside the classroom. In 1971, when his first son Keith was born, the cigar-chomping doctor came to the waiting room, shook Mark’s hand and congratulated him. Determined to be a more active participant next time, Mark wrote to the hospital administration arguing that fathers ought to be part of the birthing process. Two years later he was there to greet his sons Brad, and later Jeremy.

In 1987, he married his second wife, Carol (Dollar) Smith and was again in the delivery room to welcome their two children, Claire and then Isaac. Years later, he used writing to advocate against the closure of Claire and Isaac’s elementary school. This led to his tenure on the MAPS School Board, where he served eight years.

Though he’d be the first to say he spent too many early mornings and weekends at his desk grading papers and prepping class, Mark strove for balance. He was always eager to host family gatherings and described his many years in St. Peter’s Cathedral Choir, as one of the most meaningful experiences of his life. He also modeled consistent devotion to physical activity for the sheer pleasure of it, expertise not required. For more than 40 years, Mark was a regular in pickup basketball games at NMU’s PEIF and the Baraga Street Gym. A teammate described him as a player who was always willing to make a pass so another player could take the shot.

A die-hard, four-season cyclist, Mark piloted a succession of often-neglected, salt-corroded mountain bikes from campus to choir practice at St Peter’s Cathedral, to school board meetings and home again often with a scenic detour by the lake along the way.

The love affair with water that began with polio was a constant: teaching his children canoe strokes in a provincial park on the north shore of Lake Superior, sneaking early-morning laps in hotel pools while toting kids to sports competitions, and joining his sons and grandsons jumping off Black Rocks into Lake Superior well into his 70s.

Ironically, his last regular physical activity brought him full circle: twice weekly PT sessions in a pool where he battled increasing Post-Polio weakness. Despite the compounding effects of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, to the end Mark was determined to maintain his routine: getting up and dressed, then enjoying a cinnamon raisin bagel and a mug of Earl Grey as he wrote a journal entry. In those thousands of entries and the essays that grew from many of them, Mark left his family an incalculable gift. In them, his voice is clear, his thoughts intact.

Mark is survived by his wife of 35 years, Carol (Dollar); five children: Keith of Buckeye, Arizona, Brad (Lyn) and Jeremy (Jeanie Mercier) of Eugene, Oregon; Claire of Marquette and Isaac (Alexis Brieant) of New Haven, Connecticut; four grandchildren: Lucas, Miles, Lyla and Kylie Smith; and four siblings, Susan Rutherford (Howard Anderson) Brian (Chris), Larry (Cynthia) and Ned Smith.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Wilma Smith.

All are welcome to join for a service of celebration and remembrance to be held at 6 pm, Monday June 26th in Marquette at the Presque Isle Park Pavilion. Memories and photos may be contributed at https://memorialsource.c om/memorial/mark-smith . After the service his sons, grandsons, (and anyone else who wants to participate) will take another jump off of Black Rocks. The family would like to thank Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice for their tremendous support during Mark’s last few months as well as Drs. Joel Dank and Roman Politi and their respective staffs for their never-failing warmth, care and expertise.

Condolences may be expressed online at fassbenderswansonhansen.com