With his characteristic blend of intelligence and joy, Mark Christopher Wilson will be remembered for being a humble, kind and brilliant man.
A master’s student in chemical engineering, Mark was known for his aptitude for math and his love of learning. Despite being part of such a competitive program, Mark was able to take time for his family, friends and hobbies. He particularly loved exploring the world through international travel. He spent a good part of his life learning how to fly a plane and enjoyed observing the natural beauty of Earth.
In Mark’s parent’s fondest memories of him, he is with those who loved and admired him most — his family and friends. Marshall Wilson, Mark’s father, remembers the time when Mark was a toddler, recalling his loving personality.
“My favorite memories were when he was a little boy,” Marshall said. “Up until he was five, he had long, curly blonde hair and he was just the sweetest little boy. He was cuddly and loving. I really loved playing and wrestling with him and watching his little curly hair bounce around.”
Teresa Rutledge, Mark’s mother, said she admired his virtue of humility. Mark never boasted about himself and always cared for those around him. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma and was incredibly grateful to be pursuing his master’s at A&M, Teresa said.
“He was really a kind and considerate person,” Teresa said. “He never really thought that he was as smart as he really was. He was very very proud to go to Texas A&M.”
Mark never hesitated to help others in any aspect of life. Teresa said his passion to make a difference resonated not only through his extracurricular activities, but also through his academic work. At A&M, Mark tutored for free and found pleasure in teaching advanced chemical engineering classes. Mark published two papers with the hope to one day find a cure for diseases that have affected his loved ones, such as Aspergers and Alzheimer’s.
On their recent trip to Puerto Rico, Marshall remembers seeing the smile on Mark’s face as he spent quality time with him and his older brother.
“He and his brother and I took off-road vehicles into the rainforest and we drove them all the way up to the top of the mountains,” Marshall said. “We stopped at this creek with a waterfall and both my sons were under the waterfall. Watching him be out there, be together, that was a good time. We really spent some good times together there by ourselves.”