On November 4, 2023, Mark S. Thacker, age 70, died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Lawrence, Kansas.
Mark was born October 19, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan, to Fonso and Dolores Thacker, as the fifth of six children in the family. As a youth, Mark participated in Boy Scouts and earned the distinguished rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Western High School, Detroit, Michigan, in 1971 and from Cleary University, Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1997.
From 1977 to 1981, Mark served in the U.S. Air Force as a satellite and microwave communication specialist, stationed in Germany. Following his term of service, for over 20 years, he was employed by MCI/WorldCom as a Network Technician and Network Operations Manager in Michigan, Colorado and Texas. For the remainder of his career, 2003 until his retirement in 2021, he worked as a government contractor in Network Engineering for various companies including AT&T Government Solutions.
Through the matchmaking efforts of his sister Nanci, Mark met his beloved wife, Carolyn Mertz. They were married on May 26, 1990, at Saint Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church in West Bend, Iowa. In 1994, Mark and Carolyn joyfully welcomed the birth of their son, Luke, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Most of the years of their married life were spent in San Antonio, Texas, until they moved to Lawrence, KS, in the spring of 2023.
Mark was a loyal, life-long Detroit Lions fan. He enjoyed golfing, reading, sailing, and watching Michigan college sports. He also loved watching college baseball, and for many years, travelled to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, always accompanied by his childhood friend, Steve Boyle, from Michigan. Mark was a self-educated, first-rate war historian who could easily recall dates and events, place them in a historical context and capture the attention and respect of his family and friends as a gifted storyteller. His passion and knowledge of history eventually evolved into his enjoyable hobby of constructing and collecting sophisticated model warships and tanks. Since his retirement, Mark worked steadfastly to master the art of Texas BBQ.
Mark is survived by his wife, Carolyn and son, Luke, both of Lawrence, Kansas; sisters Cheryl Guadagnio (Chuck) of Macomb, MI; Nanci Webb of Scottsdale, AZ; brother Ron Thacker (Karen) of Dearborn Heights, MI; many nieces, nephews and their families. Mark also leaves behind his two beloved dogs, Milo and Monty. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Rick Thacker and sister Cindy Emerson.
In respecting Mark’s wishes, a private memorial celebration of his life will be held in Michigan, at a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Just Food, a local food bank in Lawrence, KS. Donations can be submitted by mail (1000 E. 11th Street, Lawrence, Kansas, 66046) or online (www.justfoodks.org).
