The child of a Marine Corps officer and his beautiful wife, Mark grew up on the move. A barefoot childhood on the beaches of Oahu, coming of age in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Mark made his way through five universities before settling in as a Texas State University Bobcat. He was a news, crime and sports reporter as well as news editor for the Laredo News, and served time at the San Marcos Daily Record.
After a decade or so in the newspaper business, he went into higher education communications, and has spent almost a quarter-century back at Texas State, where he recently retired as Director of the University News Service. When people asked me what my husband did for the university, I liked to say that, "When news breaks, he fixes it."
He is truly the great love of my life - and without compare, the smartest and funniest person I know; an incredible father/stepfather, husband and son; a crisis management expert; and one of the most talented writers I have ever known.
He never ceases to surprise me with his knowledge of everything from sports trivia, and literature, to show tune lyrics and movie quotes, as well as a host of other Jeopardy-quality topics.
On July 9, 2003, we had our first date. The following January, he proposed to me at what has since been determined to be one of the most romantic sites in Flatonia, Texas; we had a fabulous wedding amid family and friends on April 17, 2004; and we truly have have been living happily ever after ever since.
I hope you enjoy some of these clips and culls and rites of passage as much as I do.
All my best,
Diana Finlay Hendricks
Postscript: I wrote this a couple of years ago, believing Mark and I would have much time to celebrate happily ever after. We truly believed we were living a dream and those sappy love songs were written for us. I am so happy that when I look back on our marriage, I have only one regret. Our time was cut short. I would have wanted another forty years with him.In his honor, I ask that you stop the every day chaos of life and reach out to someone you love and tell them how much you care. I am grateful that we packed a lifetime love story into thirteen years. When Mark would sign a card or a note or a flower arrangement for me, it would always say,"I will love you forever and nine days." There was no deep meaning to those "nine days," but I am hanging onto forever right now, knowing that I will have nine extra days when my forever ends.
After a decade or so in the newspaper business, he went into higher education communications, and has spent almost a quarter-century back at Texas State, where he recently retired as Director of the University News Service. When people asked me what my husband did for the university, I liked to say that, "When news breaks, he fixes it."
He is truly the great love of my life - and without compare, the smartest and funniest person I know; an incredible father/stepfather, husband and son; a crisis management expert; and one of the most talented writers I have ever known.
He never ceases to surprise me with his knowledge of everything from sports trivia, and literature, to show tune lyrics and movie quotes, as well as a host of other Jeopardy-quality topics.
On July 9, 2003, we had our first date. The following January, he proposed to me at what has since been determined to be one of the most romantic sites in Flatonia, Texas; we had a fabulous wedding amid family and friends on April 17, 2004; and we truly have have been living happily ever after ever since.
I hope you enjoy some of these clips and culls and rites of passage as much as I do.
All my best,
Diana Finlay Hendricks
Postscript: I wrote this a couple of years ago, believing Mark and I would have much time to celebrate happily ever after. We truly believed we were living a dream and those sappy love songs were written for us. I am so happy that when I look back on our marriage, I have only one regret. Our time was cut short. I would have wanted another forty years with him.In his honor, I ask that you stop the every day chaos of life and reach out to someone you love and tell them how much you care. I am grateful that we packed a lifetime love story into thirteen years. When Mark would sign a card or a note or a flower arrangement for me, it would always say,"I will love you forever and nine days." There was no deep meaning to those "nine days," but I am hanging onto forever right now, knowing that I will have nine extra days when my forever ends.