Seward ‘Mark’ LaFollette, 92, passed away Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018, in Wilmington.
Mark was born on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1925, in Muncie, Indiana.
His spouse, Alys Mulcahy LaFollette, passed away last year. They were married 65 years.
Survivors include children, Suzanne “Suzy” LaFollette-Black of Wilmington, and her husband, Jim Black; stepdaughter, Barbara Senne of Livonia, Michigan, and her husband, Charles Senne; four grandchildren, Steve Pilon of Brighton, Michigan, and his wife, Kate, Cullen Cameron of Winston-Salem, and his wife, Jennifer, Chris Cameron of Wilmington, Kelcey Ashworth of Cary, and her husband, Chris; and great-grandchildren, Mary Charlotte Cameron, Miller Cameron and Cameron Ashworth Reid Pilon, Hanna Pilon and Lauren Pilon.
He was preceded in death by parents, Dr. Robert R. LaFollette and Beulah Seward LaFollette.
Mark was a descendent of the LaFollette political dynasty of Wisconsin. His mother was from the William Seward family (former secretary of state under President Lincoln). His father served as department head of Ball State University and University of Heidelberg Germany and was director of AID for Education in Vietnam and Ethiopia. He graduated from Harvard, University of Wisconsin and George Washington University.
Because of his father’s travels, he was fluent in many languages. Mark attended Indiana University, Western New Mexico University, Highlands University and University of Arizona for his masters. He served with the Pentagon and DOD as well and was the first basketball coach of the Papago tribe high school.
Mark served in the U.S. Department of Interior for many years as the director of the Bureaus of Indian Affairs for Employment Assistance and Relocation and Economic Development. He had seven offices throughout the U.S. to assist with education and vocational skills for the Navajo tribe. Dad was instrumental bringing General Dynamics and Fairchild to the Navajo reservation to provide jobs and economic growth for the Navajos and Hopi tribes. He worked tirelessly to improve the future of generations of Navajos to provide self-autonomy.
He took pride in his work on the Navajo and Papago Reservations for over 32 years. He valued the culture of the American Indian and coveted the traditions of every tribe he worked with as well his Delaware Indian tribe. He was recognized by the Department of Interior for his outstanding work and successful outcomes with numerous citations. He received the Kentucky Colonel award (equivalent to the Longleaf Pine in N.C.).
He loved all basketball and was a huge fan of the New Mexico Lobos, which he was a member supporter and all Indiana college and professional basketball. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 99; NARFE Chapter No. 80; VFW, Elks Club; Kirtland Air Force member and Rotarian Paul Harris Fellow.
Mark served in World War II as an U.S. Navy corpsman in the Philippines. He was there when the Philippines were liberated.
Mark was a political activist, avid reader of mysteries and advocate as well as the president of NARFE for the State of New Mexico. He played jazz trumpet and shared his love for jazz music and dance with his wife, Alys.
A special thank you and love to dear friends Linda and Jack, Sherrie and Reggie, Dean, Jeanette and Jan, Karen and Dan, Joan, Mary and Betty, Kim, Carolina Bay Poker group as well as his caregivers and staff of Bradley Creek Health Center and Hospice, Kim, Donna, Casey, Renee, Terry, June, Monique, Meshell, Nadine, Emily, Gwen, John, Trudy, Gay, Nancy, Kathleen, Kathy, Tami, Rose, Jeannie, Shane, Melissa, Amy, Heather, Kiera, Nancy, Bill and so many more.
Viewing will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 16, at Andrews Mortuary Market Chapel. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 19, at Andrews Mortuary Chapel, 1617 Market St., Wilmington; and at 2 p.m., Oct. 1, at the U.S. National Veteran Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Memorial gifts may be made to Western New Mexico University, New Mexico Highlands University, American Legion Post No. 99, NARFE Chapter No. 80, and Lower Cape Fear Hospice.
Share online condolences with the family at Andrews Mortuary & Crematory.
