Wightman, Mark Obituary

Wightman, Mark attended Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, CA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Wightman, Mark.

Graduation Year	Class of 1936
Date of Passing	Dec 14, 2010
About	Mark Wightman, Elk Grove native whose family came to the area in 1885, died in Hillsborough, just 14 days shy of his 92nd birthday. He was born December 28, 1918 to Thomas V. and Pearl Mae Wightmaqn, the older of two boys. His younger brother was named Thomas. Mark was named after his uncle, mark newman wightman, the only Elk Grove graduate killed in action October 3, 1918 during World War I, and one of only two local area soldiers whose bodies were shipped home and buried locally. Mark grew up here, graduating from EGHS in 1936 and then attending Sacramento Junior College. He graduated from University of California, Berkeley in 1941 with an A.B. degree in Economics. World War II was on, and he went to work in the Supply Department, Sacramento Air Depot and Headquarters IV Air Service Area Command coordinating aviation and fuel shipments. In 1942 he married Grace Ruth Brown Johnson, also born and raised in Elk Grove. Mark worked for various departments in the state of California before moving to the Bay Area and employment with Santa Clara County. He returned to the state with the Department of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement, retiring 1982. In retirement he became a licensed real estate broker in the Bay Area and assisted his wife in the management of the family's real estate assets. The couple traveled extensively in Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, China, Australia, Tahiti, and Easter Island. Mark was also an avid reader of history and biography. Mrs. Wightman preceded him in death in 2000, and he became active in the Elk Grove Historical Society especially with Hotel and Stage Stop Museum where a memorial Fund was established in his wife's name. Mark was a member of the Masonic order for 69 years and belonged to lodges in both Elk Grove and Burlingame. he is survived by his daughters, Ruth Wightman of Elk Grove and Alice Sgourakis of Oakland. Services were held December 22, 2010 with burial in East Lawn Memorial Park at 43rd and Folsom Blvd. Sacarmento, California. Rememberences may be made to Shriners Hospital, 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, California 95817 - Information from the Elk Grove Citizen, January 5, 2011