We will send an invite after you submit!
In memory of
Mark Thomas Wohlgenant
Photo
Mark's obituary
Mark was born on November 21, 1961, to Richard and Joan Wohlgenant, in Denver, Colorado. Mark’s childhood and teen years were spent playing soccer, roughing it on a ranch shared with several other families, riding the ski train with other teens from Denver to the mountains, acting in youth theatre, and achieving Eagle Scout status. The eldest of three, Mark was not only great friends with his sister, Tracy, and brother, Tim, but also very close in age - just one year apart at one point each year. After graduating from Manual High School in Denver in 1980, Mark attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
Mark almost left college for the call of Hollywood when he was cast in a major supporting role in the film “Risky Business.” A fatherly on-set photographer encouraged him to stay in school, and this turned out to be the better decision as the movie needed to be cut by 20 minutes, and Mark’s character ended up on the editing room floor. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern, Mark spent a year living in Anchorage, Alaska, and then he reoriented himself to the stage. Later, he pursued post-graduate studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, as he continued his formal training in theatre. Mark acted, wrote, directed, and produced plays for over twenty years with entities such as the Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Chicago Dramatists, and the Goodman Theatre, among others. Mark founded his own company, Oasis Theatre Collective, which produced several works, some of which received positive accolades from critics. Beyond theatre work, Mark traveled with restaurateur Rick Bayless to Mexico as a server for Frontera, sparking a lifelong love of Mexican food and culture. Mark worked as a counselor for young adults at Jobs for Youth in Chicago; manned the door at the Jazz Bulls nightclub; was an Apple Creative in Cincinnati; developed his own video production and computer consultation business, and spent the last decade of his professional life as a real estate broker for Coldwell Banker in Chicago. He attended four World Cups in the U.S., South Korea, Germany, and Brazil. Mark extended his love of soccer to his children, Arlo and Ada, along with many other young players, through his service as an American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) coach.
Mark and his first wife, Susan, shared co-parenting and collaborated to instill values of honesty, integrity, and consideration in their children. When Mark married again, his dedication to family, calm approach to problem-solving, and his kind and thoughtful manner contributed to the creation of a close and loving blended family with his wife, Terry, and her daughter, Julia. Although only together as a couple for not quite seven years, Terry and Mark forged a deep and passionate bond. Together, they devoted themselves to the task of raising their three children through childhood and adolescence while also supporting one another through the challenges and successes of their respective professional careers and personal journeys.
Proud of the lofts he lived in and renovated, as well as the two-flat he owned a few blocks away, Mark was invested in the Smith Park community. He led a successful petition campaign for a traffic light on one of the major intersections nearby to make it safer for his children and neighbors, persisting tirelessly in the face of bureaucracy. Although practical and frugal, Mark reveled in his wild side as an expert skier, motorcycle rider, band singer, and small aircraft pilot-in-training at various times of his life. Mark balanced ambitious projects like his World Cup travel planning with routines and practices that grounded him in the here and now, such as writing a daily morning journal for many years after grinding beans for his daily cups of coffee; reading the weekly New Yorker; carefully monitoring his business and personal accounts; regularly checking in with family, friends, clients, and colleagues by phone or in-person; facilitating technology roundtables at the Lincoln Park Coldwell Banker office, and giving special time and attention to the needs of his three children.
When Mark received the diagnosis of terminal brain cancer in May 2019, he traversed an unfamiliar landscape with curiosity and grace, arriving at a place of peace and acceptance. He continued his regular routines throughout treatment until he was no longer able to do so. Mark’s sharp wit, playfulness, and wry sense of humor persisted even during the most difficult situations. One day near the end of his life, he commented to Terry that the home hospice services she was providing were so well executed that he was going to assign her a Michelin star.
Mark will be remembered by all who knew and loved him for his faith in the goodness of others, his loyalty to friends and family, and his willingness to embrace the full experience of life with an open heart. Survivors include his wife, Terry; children, Arlo and Ada, and their mother, Susan; stepdaughter, Julia; parents, Richard and Joan; his sister, Tracy (Scott) and niece, Ruby; his brother, Tim (Annie), and nieces, Zoe and Clio; uncles, Carl (Annetta) and LeMoyne Bristow (Suzanne); numerous cousins; parents-in-law, John and Gail Sofianos; sister-in-law, Kathryn Sofianos; other extended in-laws in the Sofianos and Dring families, and many close friends.
Following Mark’s wishes, private memorials will be held in three locations. In Chicago, a tree will be planted for shade in the neighborhood park where he played frisbee and soccer with his kids and walked Winslow, his beloved rescue dog. A bench will provide a moment’s respite on a walk through the botanical gardens in Denver. And, in Iowa, the majestic site of the Mississippi River will be viewed from a bluff where his father’s ancestors once walked. Mark’s cremains will be scattered and dispersed in these and other locations of meaningful connection. In place of flowers, gifts may be made to AYSO Playership Fund https://ayso.org/get-involved… or the Chicago Theatre Worker's Relief Fund https://chicagoplays.com/dona…
Send to someone
Share this obituary with others
Want to stay updated?
Get notified when new photos, stories and other important updates are shared.
Share this memorial website
How you can help
Share with others
Donate in memory
Created with love by
Terry Sofianos Wohlgenant (Mark's wife).
