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Comments: It was good to see you at the auction last night. I had no idea about Mark. What an awful shame. I remember meeting him one night when we were sitting on the porch there and he stopped by. You introduced us and he started telling stories about lobstering. My husband couldn't wait to buy the book. I think he read it three times. Mark seemed like a very nice man. I am so sorry. I hope the new edition of his book does well. The pictures on the web site are great. Best wishes and congratulations for helping him to live on through his book.
Comments: Hello, I was one of those who stopped Mark on the street. I told him how much I loved his book and you could tell it made him happy to hear that. I had a hard time putting the book down. I also will miss seeing him on the streets of Gloucester. So sad.
Comments: I first met Mark in February or March of this year (2008). I was having dinner at the bar at Halibut Point Restaurant in Gloucester while Mark was chatting next to me. In passing, I asked if he was a fisherman.....he quickly replied that he had been, but now was writing. When I asked what he wrote, he told me about the Sheep and told me to go to Amazon.com to buy it. I spoke with Mark on many occasions at Halibut Point from then on. It took several weeks to receive a copy of his book and he told me "If you don't get it by the next time I see you, I'll give you two free copies of it. By the time I saw him again, I received my copy and told him how much I was enjoying reading it. Unfortunately, I have little time to read, but it was very hard to put his book down. Since I don't live in town, I heard about his death while 30 miles offshore on a Yankee Fleet fishing party boat. The mates were speaking of books they had read and I asked if they had read Mark William's book. They of course had indeed read it and said "You know, he died last week, don't you?".........Needless to say, I was extremely shocked and disappointed that I would never again get to chat at dinner with him. I actually had the book with me on that fishing trip......to read while traveling to the fishing spot. I have finally finished reading the book and enjoyed every minute of the time spent doing so. Mark.........you surely will be missed! And to his family........So very sorry for such a premature loss. And Kathleen............My heart truly goes out to you.....You must be quite a woman.
Comments: As a former resident of Gloucester, I stood where the 2nd bridge was once situated. I admired the scenic beauty and looked down to see a rat jumping from rock to rock. My spiritual high was interrupted and I chuckled to know where there's yin, there's yang. I turned to see a man sitting in a truck behind me and walked over to share my chuckle. As I spoke with him, I realized he looked familiar. I introduced myself and he likewise. I knew his brother as a teenager and now learned about him. We chatted for quite awhile because he gave me a synopsis of his adult life which led into his newly published book. I left with a signed copy. I was one of those folks he said, "Read it and if you like it send me a check afterward and provide some feedback." I read the book and was delighted with the details, humor and education in print. I shared the book last year with Michael Tougious, another author and lecturer of 16 books, many that dealt with situations on the seas. I was home visiting family mid-May and saw him as he was going into his mother's home and mentioned that Michael Tougious wrote to me and said he enjoyed Mark's book. Back in February, Michael tried to make contact. At that time Mark was excited and about to call his manager to learn more about his newest business venture: earlier his book rights had been purchased by a major director. In June, visiting family again, I saw a thank you note from the Williams family in the Gloucester Daily Times. As I began to read it, my heart dropped into my stomach. I felt devastated to learn that Mark died. It was such an emotional down to know so much talent and future potential was ripped from us. He was such a nice guy; his humor was quite unique and so were his experiences. Although I did not know him so well, I felt a strong connection to Gloucester's life experiences and I am grateful he put his down in print. I feel the loss. [The connection to Mark remains: Oddly, I was led here today as I read on MSN that Rev. Moon was involved in an accident. In my "search," on the 4th search page was the Parlez Moi Blog. I entered the site to read : "In Memory of Mark S. Williams." So, you see, Mark is still with us; his energy still flows about keeping us aware. We keep his energy and spirit alive. God blessed us.] My condolences to Mark's family and his dear friends. He is missed.
Comments: Oh, Kathleen, your heart must be broken. I know you two had your ups and downs but you sure were great together. I loved Mark's book and I loved hearing him talk about it and all his stories from the waterfront. Who knows what he might have gone on to write. It seems so unfair. He was a larger than life character and a hell of a nice guy. He'll live forever through that book. God bless.
Comments: I never knew Mark but am looking forward to reading his work. Thanks for the link here I come from http://www.raginpagin.com
Comments: Mark was a great guy and a good friend. He will be missed at the MAC and around Gloucester Harbor. He had a great sense of humor and was a great story teller. He loved his family and his country. Mark sweated salt water. He knew how things should be done and didn't have much time for the other side. I miss him. I know he is smiling down on us all. God Bless him.
Comments: I never knew Mark nor read his book but after reading his articles I am impressed by his writing. The tribute to his friend John Symonds is both well-written and ironic now. He was clearly a man who observed the world with a sharp and sensitive eye. May he live on through his words. Rest in peace.
Comments: I never met Mark but had the pleasure of reading some of his book prior to it being published. Kathleen brought it to our knitting group that met a the community center in Rockport.We all had a chance to skim through and read a little of it. I am an avid reader and knew immediately that this was a book I had to read when it was finished. I purchased the book, started to read it and stayed up all night in order to finish it. I laughed, I cried and boy did I feel like I was on that boat with him on that fateful day as his life flashed before him!!!! Thank you Kathleen for sharing Mark with us through his book! Wherever you are Mark, do what you do best, share stories with those who have gone before you!!!!
Comments: I am in shock. I was out of town and didn't learn of this until this morning. Mark was such a part of Gloucester I cannot imagine him being gone. I saw him in town for years but didn't actually meet him until the book event in city hall at Christmas. I remember him as a warm, soft-spoken man who was very proud of the book he wrote. Smooth sailing, Mark. You will be missed.
Comments: I remember Mark from that New Year's party at Jane's house because he was so funny. When the lace lady was showing lace shirts for men he kept making faces that really made me laugh. Later when he was out in the kitchen everybody from the party kept going out there to listen to him tell stories about when he was playing football at St. Peters and he kept putting more wine in your glass whenever you weren't looking. He was such a fun person to be around. I read his book and liked it very much especially the part about all the birds that landed on his boat. Sometimes I would see him in Last Stop and he always said hello. What a terrible shame that he is gone! I will keep him in my prayers but I know he is in heaven because he was such a nice man. I keep thinking about all the times he escaped dying in his book and then he died so fast. It does not seem right. God bless you, Mark.
Comments: Kathleen introduced me to Mark one night in Halibut Point. I bought his book when it came out and thought it was great. I'd see him around town and he was always friendly and loved to talk about his book and politics. A really great guy and a big loss. Rest in peace, Mark.
Comments: I met Mark in the summer of 2001 and we immediately became friends for I had grown up in Rockport and had worked on several lobster boats in the past. We seemed to collide around Gloucester at opportune times where we could sit and chat. We had a minor run-in once but smoothed it over the very next time we met. I know he really liked my son Jeremy and he and I actually saw Mark in Stop & Shop 4 days before his passing, asking my son how all was going. He had a very interesting mind and outlook and it's the simple work of God's Grace that he got to write his book for us before his untimely death.
Comments: In memory of my Uncle Mark, Thanks for always taking the time in my youth to throw the football around at family get togethers at 136 Bass. Ave. Thanks for showing me your extensive gun collection that had my brother Eric and I excited to start one of our own when we grew up.Thanks for taking Eric and I tuna fishing. I am sorry about getting sick all over your deck, but still blame you for making us cut up herring that was well beyond it's date of expiration. Thanks for all the awesome stories of Grandfather in his younger years, as well as the stories about you and your brothers and all the mischief you got into in Gloucester. Thanks for taking an interest in my children and making the long drives to Salisbury for holidays, to my knowledge you never missed a single one. Thanks for being so knowledgeable on so many subjects and helping me to consider other perspectives. Thank you for taking an active interest in my professional hockey career and bragging to all your buddies about our superior gene pool. Thank you for taking great care of Gram, I know you guys took great care of each other. Thank you for writing such a great book and tribute about Grandfather. The thing that brings me peace today with you gone is knowing that you and he will once again be reunited. You left all your family and friends better off because we new you. You made a difference in my life, and judging from the wake and funeral, in the lives of many more. I will never forget you. We will miss you !! Say hello to Grandfather for me ...... Your Nephew, Bob
Comments: I met Mark at one of his favorite haunts, the Halibut Point Restaurant, over five years ago. His charm, intelligence, and good humour were always in evidence, but what lingered in my thoughts and held fast after each encounter was his passion and zest for life and, in particular his love of Gloucester. I remember when a friend of Mark's died unexpectantly a couple years ago and how deeply that affected him. I can appreciate what he went through now as I try and come to terms with Mark's passing. It is hard to believe that I will no longer see him riding through town or parked at the State Fish Pier, nor by the harbor at the North Shore Arts Association. My thoughts are with the Williams family and Mark's extended family of close friends. Fair winds my friend.
Comments: I've known Mark for over 30 years. He was such a kind and sensitive person - he will be missed.
Comments: I went to Saint Peters Boys High School with Mark from 1966-70. Here's a photo of him from the last year book. He was in NJROTC. Scott B. Lesch 
Comments: I met Mark from being a part of the the Williams family. He was a sweet man just like his dad. I remember him sitting on the sand at good harbor watching the waves. God bless his mother Betty and give her peace at heart. You will be missed.
Comments: I met Mark in Halibut Point one night and he told me about his book. I bought a copy and read it in two days. He was a great story teller and a hell of a nice guy. I always looked forward to running into him. What a loss. He really appreciated everything you did for him, Kathleen. He always spoke well of you. I hope you will remember how much you gave him and how much he cared about you. My sympathies to his family and to his mother. This is a terrible shame.
Comments: Kathleen, during this difficult time just remember that you were responsible for making his dream come true. As long as we knew Mark he talked about writing but you were the one who took his stories and turned them into the book he was so proud of. You gave him the best gift he could have asked for. Don't forget that. Deepest sympathies. |
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