Mark Asmundson:
CLASS OF 1969
Bellingham High SchoolClass of 1969
Bellingham, WA
University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of LawClass of 1980
Sacramento, CA
Western Washington UniversityClass of 1976
Bellingham, WA
Willamette UniversityClass of 1973
Salem, OR
Mark's Story
I am delighted to report that my family will be moving back to Bellingham permanently in June 2020. Looking forward to spending my retirement in the City of subdued excitement. Purchased a house close to Broadway park: my twins will attend both Whatcom and BHS. When that is complete I will have 5 children who are BHS grads.
Now to the personal history: After college I managed a ski lodge in California for a couple of years, then somehow got into Law school. Which I loved and where I did quite well. I even managed to become a member of - get this- " The order of the Coif ", the national legal honor society. Unfortunately, this has not helped my shortage of hair.
Military
None, and I give the credit to divine intervention. Due to my party mindedness (not political party) I lost my student deferment in 1970. As a reward for my party spirit I was awarded the status of 1-A by the selective service. i was also part of the first 'lottery' for the draft, and my lottery number was 3--yes 3. Only bureaucratic lethargy kept me out of the army in 1970. Now a member of the "extended eligibility" group (which meant I was first in line for the first 90 days of 1971) I was, needless to say, happy when Melvin Laird announced in January that there would be no draft for the first three months of 1971.
I was adamantly anti-war, and had been since 1967. Fortunately, I have now visited asia, but in a way that allows you to return home on an airplane seat, not in a body bag.
Marriage. Ah, I am a great one for this institution, having...Expand for more
indulged more than my share. First marriage lasted 15 years, ended amicably and in the process produced 2 and adopted a third daughter. Girls are terrific! Remarried in 2000 to a lovely (younger) women I met on one of my sister city investigation trips in the Caucasus in Russia, named Tatiana (Tanya). In 2007 we had twins--Nikolas and Sophia! Second time father. So far, much fun.
I practiced law for 15 years, and during 9 of those years was on the Bellingham City Council, having returned 'home' after law school. I was elected Mayor in 1995 and then twice again, in 99 and 03. Skipped out a year early on the third term to take over as Director of the Northwest Clean Air agency, a regional regulatory and educational agency implementing the federal and state clean air acts.
I am now a happily retired person!
Still love Bellingham. It has changed a ton, but pretty much all for the better. I was a southsider, most recently (in Bellingham) , living in a neighborhood that didn't exist when in High School here.
I was diagnosed with MS in 1988, but it has not reared it's ugly head too often. Biggest impact on me: blind in my right eye now. It has not historically slowed me down much.
Moved to Henderson, NV in 2003.
The reason we are in Las Vegas area is to expose my twins to the sun. MS is non existent in the tropics, and growing up ( through age 15) south of 40 degrees latitude dramatically reduces the chance that they will develop this lousy disease. Ever wonder why so many people in Washington have MS? Sunlight matters.
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