Mark Nyman

On July 4, 2019 we said goodbye to Mark Nyman, partner, son, sibling, brother, and friend after an intense, unsuccessful battle with pineoblastoma, a virulent form of brain and spinal cancer. He is, indeed, already missed - his intellect, love of music and food, his skills and talents as a field geologist, carpenter, cook, clerk, autodidact and for his capacity to share with those he loved. And who ferociously loved him back. Mark’s mighty and courageous battle culminated in a wave goodbye with his last breath (after being prone for more than 48 hours), which must have taken herculean strength and resolve but showed us that though the fight here on earth was lost, death had had its say, he was now okay and moving on.



Mark was a restless wanderer on all accounts, at all times - energetic, voracious, tenacious, curious, inpatient, unsatisfied. Mark was born in Fitchburg, MA on July 3, 1958 graduating from Oakmont Regional High School in 1976 where he was a member of the National Honor Society, involved in student government and an avid baseball player. Mark loved baseball: as a 10-year old he played in the Fitchburg, MA Little League city championship and played organized ball, including four years of high school varsity, throughout his youth.



Mark attended the University of Vermont where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in geology in 1980. Mark was passionate about the stories that rocks could tell, the outdoor opportunities offered by field geology and the community that worked and partied hard. Aside from geology he studied philosophy, religion and literature, all of which would be part of his lifelong pursuit of knowledge. From 1982 to 1984 he attended Memorial University in St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada where he pursued graduate research in field geology of western Newfoundland Appalachians. In 1984, Mark was hired as part of crew to map in Alaska doing frontier research in remote locations - helicopter camps, no showers and grizzly bears. This opportunity was the beginning of a 33 year long geology career that took him across the globe including Alaska, Newfoundland, Aruba, South Africa, El Salvador, Iceland, and throughout the Mountain West.



But Mark was more than a field geologist taking a number of career breaks to work as a carpenter and eventually a grocery clerk where he settled into a contemplative segment of life dominated by meditation, reading, following the Boston Red Sox, and being at home with his best friend and partner, Melissa.



And then there was music - his soul. Whether it was attending Grateful Dead shows in the Pacific Northwest, Bluegrass Festivals in the Adirondacks and Rocky Mountains or reggae artists in a local venue, Mark’s passion for music was immense and diverse. Mark’s love for music was contagious and he shared his passion with friends, family and colleagues. All of those in his life will invariably tell stories about Mark that have one thing in common - music. It was the bond that tied us all together.



In 1997 Mark met the love of his life, Melissa Wustner, in a Salt Lake City music and hi-fi store where she worked. From the very outset they shared a mutual love of music, good food, and the outdoors. In 1998 they merged their music collections and moved to Montana where they enjoyed mountain biking, camping, hiking, soaking in hot springs, fine dining, and traveling. Over 20 years and throughout Mark’s illness, they remained strong and committed to each other.



Mark’s culinary skills were one of his greatest gifts. Those who sat at his table were treated to wholesome, savory and eclectic dishes. Mark was also an expert skier and talented ski instructor; he excelled at construction and finished carpentry and wrote beautiful poetry. Along with Melissa, he took pride in home renovation and their garden was a source of joy and abundance. Over the last several years, Mark wrote extensively about his world views, creating stories reflecting his personal experiences.



Mark was a person with an enormous heart and tremendous capacity for love and he will forever be in our hearts. Mark leaves behind his wife, Melissa, his parents Beverly and Richard Nyman of Ashburnham, MA, siblings, Marcia (Eric) Flinkstrom of South Berwick, ME, Martin (Carolyn) Nyman of Chanhassen, MN and Matthew (May) Nyman of Corvallis, OR. Other family members include Joe (Mary) Wustner of Tucson, AZ, Cindy Wustner of Cottage Grove, OR, and Karla (Larry) Pattis of Creswell, OR. Mark was also an uncle to 16 nieces and nephews and great uncle to seven. He was preceded in death by his in-laws, Patricia and Lorenz F. Wustner (Col., USAF).



We would like to thank Sarah E. Hill, O.D., of 20Twenty Eyecare, Kristin Johnson, MSN, APRN, and Jennifer Sofie, DNP, APRN, of Three Rivers Medical Clinic, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health, Aspen Ridge Transitional Rehab, Murray, UT, Compassus Hospice, First Choice Home Health, Brandi Williams, caregiver, and Rosauers Supermarkets, for their kindness and compassion during this difficult time.



A celebration of Mark’s life will be held September 15, 2019, 4:00 p.m., at the Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, Montana. An East Coast celebration will be held in Massachusetts later in the fall. In memory of Mark, well-wishers may consider bestowing a gift to the UMass Medical Center for Mindfulness (https://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/donate/).