Mark Edward Gresham

1941 - 2024

GRESHAM, Mark Edward Mark E. Gresham, of Granbury, died Aug. 2, 2024, in Fort Worth, three weeks shy of his 83rd birthday. He was born Aug. 24, 1941, in San Antonio, oldest and only son of Francis Edward Gresham and Jewel Moore Gresham. Mark spent his early years in Corpus Christi; Suitland, Maryland, near Washington, DC; and the Myrtle Grove area of Pensacola, Florida; due to his father's Navy service and civilian military work. In 1954, the family moved to Guam, where Mark was a Boy Scout. He graduated from George Washington High School in 1959, and attended the Territorial College of Guam the next year. In 1964, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Tech University, majoring in political science, government, and public administration, and minoring in sociology and Spanish. He completed all requirements except a thesis for a Master of Arts in public administration at the University of North Texas. While in graduate school, Mark began his career in Texas city management. From 1965 to 1969, he was administrative assistant to the city manager in Garland, including one year as acting city secretary. He was city manager of Terrell 1969 to 1971 and of San Marcos 1971 to 1973. He was the budget director for the City of Corpus Christi 1974 to 1985, and senior deputy city manager in Grand Prairie 1985 to his retirement in 1993. He spent the next twelve years in California, and served on the Orange County Grand Jury. In 2005, he returned to Texas, settling in Granbury. Mark belonged to the Texas City Managers Association, the Texas Municipal League, the International City/County Management Association, and the Municipal Finance Officers Association. He taught courses in public administration, local government financial management, and urban economics at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. In retirement, Mark was a member of the Grand Jurors' Association of Orange County, and served as vice-chairperson of the Charter Review Commission for the City of Granbury in 2018. He volunteered as a shipbuilder with the Twin Brigantine Project of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute, and with the Friends of the Library of Hood County. Mark was passionate about sailing. From 1978 to 2002, he co-owned a 22-foot Catalina and (from 1981) solo-owned a 27-foot Pearson. He was an avid photographer who set up his own black-and-white darkroom in his homes. He enjoyed reading, cooking, gardening, dining out, playing the guitar, and listening to music. Mark is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 18 (and friend of 45) years, Amanda Pape; and by his two sisters, Ann Gresham (Michael) Beug of Husum, Washington, and June Gresham (Gregory) Crane of Red Hook, New York. He has three children, Kim Gresham (Mike) Williams of McKinney, Texas, Noël Gresham (Philip) Blaschke of Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Drew (Carolyn Shierk) Gresham of San Antonio, Texas; and two stepchildren, Eric Bolme of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Diane Kulju of Washington, DC. He is also survived by ten grandchildren, Holly Brown (Lindsey) Watson, Heidi Brown (Ryan) Mason, Austin Blaschke, Jennifer Williams (Chris) Cain, Adam Brown, Drew Brown, Madison Blaschke (Daniel) Nicholson, Lindsay Williams, Evan Blaschke, and Luke Williams; three great-grandchildren, Walker Mason, Rylan Nicholson, and Noah Mason; and by nephews, cousins, and in-laws.