Mark Maguire was always up for adventure. Whether it was examining Renaissance paintings in Italy or fishing for bass in the California waterways, Mark never failed to enjoy the experience. Born in Renton, Washington, he was the third son and the fourth child in what eventually became an active group of eight siblings. His parents later moved to California, where his mother kept the local grocery store in business, and Mark and his brothers and sisters attended schools in an area that would later become Silicon Valley.
Early on, Mark thought he would be an engineer but soon realized his talents lay elsewhere. He attended Fresno State University, earned a degree in journalism, and spent the next forty years working on newspapers throughout Northern California. His experiences covered almost every aspect of the profession. As a photographer, he snapped pictures of Queen Elizabeth II visiting Yosemite and the Oakland Athletics celebrating a World Series win in the 1970s. As a copy editor, he crunched numbers editing complex business and economic stories. As a page designer, he made stories and photos work together to create eye-catching designs.
Like others in his profession, Mark made the difficult transition from typewriter to computer. Although he was one of the oldest copy editors in the building, he not only mastered the challenge of creating newspaper pages on the computer screen but was also one of two people selected to instruct his co-workers. Among those he taught was another aging copy editor, his future wife, Marie. The two married in their late 40s and become “bunny parents” to several shelter rabbits.
Mark was a man of many interests.
He loved sports. In his younger days, Mark played rugby and liked to ski. In his older days, he turned to fishing, pursuing the large-mouth bass in the San Joaquin River Delta. He was a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Athletics. He also had a soft spot for his Fresno State Bulldogs.
He enjoyed cooking. His co-workers looked forward to the barbecued turkey he made for them on Thanksgiving and the dressing he made especially for his vegan colleagues. He was a devout chocoholic and an expert at making truffles. He also could whip up a delicious apple pie complete with a crust made from scratch.
He was a student of the past. He read everything he could about dinosaurs and often joked that he was one. He studied Renaissance music and played the recorder. He was an expert on Victorian furniture and put together a Victorian-style parlor in his home.
But most of all, Mark was an avid television watcher. One of his favorite shows was “Star Trek.” Whether the Enterprise was under the command of James T. Kirk or Jean Luc Picard, Mark enjoyed every episode. He even had a Klingon dictionary.
Mark never wished to discuss end-of-life plans. He loved life too much. However, when he was dealing with heart failure and when it was suggested that a portion of his cremains could be sent to space, he was intrigued.
“Can you do that?” he asked. “That would be cool.”
Mark is survived by his wife, Marie, and his siblings, Virginia Kindermann, Cathie Nordstrom, Allan Maguire, Paul Maguire, and Marj Nourie.
It is with unending love, tenderness, and fond memories that we send Mark on this one last adventure. He brought so much happiness into our lives, and we feel this is the least we can do for him.
