Mark Gregory Walsen

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Northwestern University Wake Forest University

Mark Walsen Obituary

Mark Gregory WALSEN Mark Gregory Walsen (born Mark Gregory Samsen) passed away unexpectedly on January 30, 2011. Born in Toledo, Ohio, on June 22, 1953, Mark grew up enjoying the sunshine of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He earned a bachelor's of science from Wake Forest University followed by a master's of science in economics from Northwestern University; he then began a pioneering career in software engineering. After he met his wife Celeste, they headed west from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Bellevue, Washington, where Mark was active in his neighborhood and city for nearly 30 years. Mark worked with software development teams at Intermetrics and Microsoft, but often said he felt like he was on a full-time vacation amidst the mountains and waters of his adopted home. For the past decade Mark pursued his passion for music. With his own company, Notation Software, Mark used his remarkable energy and intellect to develop the world's leading software for transcribing musical notation from a midi keyboard. Mark was softhearted and soft-spoken; he was a true genius, with an abiding loveof music and the outdoors. He will be deeply missed by his wife Celeste, children David, Kayla and Greg, mother Nan, and his brother Mike (with children, Kate and Christopher). In honor of the grace that music brought to Mark's life, the family invites donations to the Bellevue Youth Theatre Foundation (www.bytf.org).

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Published by The Seattle Times on Feb. 9, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Mark Walsen

6 Entries

February 13, 2011

Mark was one of a kind; to use the Steely Dan analogy, a cross of a diamond with a pearl. I haven't met anyone like him before or after. He was so kind, compassionate and understanding. I knew him for several years and always looked forward to seeing him. He was intelligent, entertaining, humble and most of all made one comfortable. He will be missed by many of us, but I feel fortunate to have been blessed to have had his light shown upon me.
(Tim Shank, Austin TX)

Robert De León

February 12, 2011

I'm terrible sorry for this unexpected passing. Of course, I never met Mark personally, but he touched my life and changed it greatly, for his creation, Notation Composer, saw my joy for composing grow and develop. My most sincere condolences to the family and friends...

Paula Harper-Christensen

February 12, 2011

Mark Walsen was one of the kindest people I have ever known. We met many years ago when we all homeschooled our young children together. In the years we have been friends with his family he has always been welcoming and encouraging to those who know him. The loss of Mark is enormous for his family, friends, and the music world. All who knew him are blessed by his gentle impact.
Blessings to his dear family,
Paula Harper-Christensen

Marvin Jacobs

February 10, 2011

I talked to Mark once and have corresponded often, but came to know him well enough to miss him greatly, as must Music itself. Profound sympathy to the family. "mgj32"

Ralph & Cynthia Rayner

February 10, 2011

We would imagine that you will receive many entries like this one, from people who have never met Mark. Mark has touched our lives deeply with his Notation Software. I had a fairly heavy music background early in my life, but wandered away from it with all of the many things that go along with family and everyday life. I had been retired for about 5 years and kept toying with the idea of reviving my music. A combination of my wife Cynthia's encouragement, her wanting to learn to read music and play Recorder, and my wanting to have a music workstation of some sort (a Yamaha Clavinova), led to a need to have a more modern-day, i.e., PC-oriented, way of creating exercises, songs and duets for my wife, and for entering my old scores from the sixties and creating new scores. I test-drove several freeware notation products, but eventually came upon a thread in a Yamaha Forum that spoke highly of Notation Composer. This turned out to be one of the happiest events in our retirement. Mark's Composer has reopened a world of joy for me and opened a new one for my wife. We are both extremely appreciative of all that Mark put into Notation Software. Know that Mark has profoundly affected our lives and that we are saddened by his passing. We wanted to pass along our deepest sympathy to all of Mark's family and friends.

February 10, 2011

The death of a person as fine as Mark makes me, a life-long atheist, pray for his afterlife.

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