Birth date: Jul 6, 1944 Death date: Dec 6, 2023
MARK WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE BOSTON AREA. HIS ROUGH AND TUMBLE YOUTH LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK REFLECTED IN HIS BOSTON BLUE COLLAR ACCENT, ATTITUDE AND LIFE-LONG MEMBERSHIP OF THE RED SOX NATION. HE FELL IN LOVE WITH HAWAII THE MO Read Obituary
One night my grandpa (Mark) threw a fire crackers at me then my grandma (Shabaria) came out and chuged fire crackers at him. It was a funny and happy night.
In 1974, Mark came to the University of Science in Penang, Malaysia as a young lecturer in Geological Oceanography and that was how I met him. I was his only student doing my final year in Geophysics and we shared many evenings and many fieldwork trips together. Upon my graduation, I went to work for Exxon.
I found Mark to be an extremely approachable person, humble, an intellectual and a rare human gem. He will be forever remembered. My sincere condolences to the family. RIP Mark.
Your student KK Khee
Mark was a good friend and witty academic colleague. I had the good fortune of spending a month at The East West Center and Mark took me all over the island. I will miss you, friend
It is my misfortune that I only got to know Mark in person in what turned out to be the last ten years of his life ... although I had read and was inspired by his voluminous writings much earlier. For some of us in the research and policy universe, Mark was an imposing figure. He had a rare sense of fairness in his assessment of politics and policy, stuck by his beliefs whether they were contrarian or not, was willing to introspect failings where others were only too content to sweep under the carpet, and wrote intelligently and passionately on issues close to his heart. As importantly, he gave courage to us in the next generation to stand by our beliefs and find our own voices.
Even in the last year of his life, he never stopped reading, thinking and writing. I hope to be just like him, even into my final days.
Mark will be missed. By me, and by many silent others, who looked up to his intelligence and integrity.
May he rest in peace ... although I'm quite certain HIS SPIRIT IS BUSYING HIMSELF INQUIRING INTO THE GREAT QUESTIONS AND MATTERS OF THE HEAVENLY WORLD. And to his dear family, my heartfelt condolences go out. Wishing you strength as you'll cope with Mark's incalculable loss.
Sourabh
Mark always found time for me from afar but I always felt close to him. I seemed to be able to make him laugh and I guess he needed that. I always felt supported by my oldest brother. He always said I'd be the last man standing. I miss him very much. All my love to the family. Brother jim.
DEAR FAMILY OF DR. MARK VALENCIA,
I WAS DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF THE PASSING OF DR. MARK VALENCIA, AND I EXTEND MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO YOUR FAMILY.
MARK WAS NOT ONLY A CHERISHED FRIEND BUT ALSO AN ESTEEMED SCHOLAR WHOSE DEDICATION SPANNED SEVERAL FIELDS, ALIGNING CLOSELY WITH OUR SHARED PURSUITS OVER DECADES. OUR INITIAL ENCOUNTER TRACES BACK TO 2002 DURING OUR ATTENDANCE AT A SOUTH CHINA SEA WORKSHOP IN OSLO, NORWAY.
HIS ABSENCE LEAVES AN IRREPLACEABLE VOID. HE WILL TRULY BE MISSED BY OUR SOUTH CHINA SEA ACADEMIC COMMUNITY.
AT SUCH A MOMENT, WORDS OFTEN FAIL TO CONVEY THE DEPTH OF SYMPATHY. YET, PLEASE FIND SOLACE IN KNOWING THAT OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ACCOMPANY YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THROUGH THIS CHALLENGING PERIOD.
SINCERELY,
WU SHICUN
FOUNDING PRESIDENT, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SOUTH CHINA SEA STUDIES, CHINA
Dear family of Dr. Mark Valencia,
I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Mark Valencia, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to your family.
Mark was not only a cherished friend but also an esteemed scholar whose dedication spanned several fields, aligning closely with our shared pursuits over decades. Our initial encounter traces back to 2002 during our attendance at a South China Sea workshop in Oslo, Norway.
His absence leaves an irreplaceable void. He will truly be missed by our South China Sea academic community.
At such a moment, words often fail to convey the depth of sympathy. Yet, please find solace in knowing that our thoughts and prayers accompany you and your family through this challenging period.
Sincerely,
Wu Shicun
Chairman, Huayang Research Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance; Founding President, National Institute for South China Sea Studies, China
MARK AND I WERE FRIENDS SINCE CHILDHOOD. IN FACT I FOUND OUT ABOUT HIS RECENT HOSPITALIZATION AS A RESULT OF AN EMAIL I SENT TO CATCH UP ON HOW HE WAS DOING. THE FRIENDSHIP BEGAN IN THE EARLY DAYS WHEN WE WOULD PLAY "OUT" IN MY DRIVEWAY. HE USED GET SO ANNOYED WITH A SHOT I WOULD TAKE FROM BEHIND A BIG SHRUB. I SAW HIM A FEW TIMES DURING VISITS TO HAWAII; AND ALL THE YEARS SINCE WE REMINISCED AND TALKED ABOUT BOSTON SPORTS, POLITICS, CURRENT EVENTS, ETC. HE SOMETIMES HAD SOME "ROUGH EDGES", BUT UNDERNEATH ALL OF THAT, HE WAS A GOOD AND BRILLIANT PERSON! SINCE I HAD A LONG CAREER IN THE NAVY, WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING BUT WE REMAINED FRIENDS. HIS SELF WRITTEN BIOGRAPHY INCLUDING THE PHOTO CAPTURED MARK TO A "T". MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS CONTINUE FOR MARK AND ALL OF HIS FAMILY.
BOB CHAMBERLIN, MONTCLAIR, VIRGINIA
We are so sorry to hear of Mark’s passing. It is good that you were all able to be there.
Please tell me your mom how sorry I am to hear the news.
Your Dad had a special way of filling the largest room. He could infuriate and then make me laugh all in blink of eye.
I’ll miss him dearly. He was a great friend.
George & Carole Lauriat
Daddy, I can't believe you're gone and that you're not coming back. It feels surreal. I am so grateful we had some really good moments together before you passed. I will cherish them. We all miss you. We have received messages from all over the world, including from some childhood friends! Your impact on the South China Sea community was significant, evidenced by your legacy of articles and those stunned and saddened about your passing. We love you and I sincerely hope you felt that love surround you on your way out. You will always be with us...your fingerprints are very much intertwined with our daily lives. I'm already looking out for signs that you're around--a purple flashlight that randomly turned on, flickering lights, and monarch butterflies. I know you didn't believe much in all that, but I have to believe that if you're able, you've already quickly learned how to reach out to us. I hope you made it to the other side calmly and peacefully and reunited with Grandma, Grandpa, your little sis, Uncle John, Uncle Bobby, Datuk, Awang, and others. Please watch over us and keep us from harm. I love you.
