Mark Eric Hersey

Mark was born August 25, 1969 in Rochester, New Hampshire. When he was just five days old, he was adopted by Peter and Lotte Hersey of Melrose, Massachusetts where he grew up and graduated from Melrose High School in 1987. Mark attended Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts majoring in History. During his time there, he picked up the sport of lacrosse and it soon became his favorite past time. Mark worked 2 fall semesters on co-op, and graduated in May 1992.

Mark married Susan (Suzi) Sloan Hersey of Ridgefield, Connecticut whom he met at Gordon College in 1989, on September 25, 1993 in Greenwich, Connecticut. They began their married life in Magnolia, Massachusetts, but moved to Fairfax, Virginia in 1994. Mark worked in accounting for his early career, but his love was history. Mark began his masters degree at George Mason University in 1996, concentrating in early European history. He reveled in helping his mentor as an T.A. In the large survey courses at GMU, and projects as a Research Fellow in the Special Archives at the university fascinating. After graduating with a Masters of Arts in History in 1998, Mark began attending CUNY in NYC for doctoral work, and later at Catholic University in Washington DC.

Given the shifting academic landscape with fewer tenure track positions available in the Humanities, Mark's focus to become a history professor became less important than being able to provide for his family. He left academia to work at a dot com called Big Dough. It was there that he honed his database skills, mining for the contact information for financial managers all around the country and managing a team of researchers. In 2001 he took a position as a Transportation Demand Specialist at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in their Commuter Connections division in Washington, D.C.. The aim was to reduce emissions by encouraging commuting by mass transit, teleporting, biking to work, or ways to reduce single car transportation. Mark spent 23 years at COG promoting programs to jurisdictions throughout Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland and managing a team of sales associates in these areas. He enlarged the scope and impact of the region's Bike to Work Day from a fledgling program to a well oiled machine before handing it over to a colleague. The woman whose job he took over in 2001 is the current mayor of Washington D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Mark delighted in working in the nation's capital. In his leisure time, in the suburbs, Mark honed his art of grilling and cooking, he enjoyed watching college lacrosse, baseball, and football. The Red Sox winning the World Series more than once in his lifetime was "an embarrassment of riches," and a dream come true.

Mark adored the Outer Banks of North Carolina where the family vacationed many summers. His love of music, especially 90s alternative rock bands, was equaled by his passion for movies. His incredible recall of lyrics or movie quotes was impressive to anyone who knew him. Mark was a huge lover of trivia, word games, and language. Many that knew him called him, "the smartest man in any room," or, "Mr. Google." Mark's memory exceeded that of most people and he was able to remember precise details that most forget in history, personal relationships, or personal history.

Mark was 6 weeks premature at birth, and was born with a bicuspid aortic valve instead of a tricuspid. In 1996, Mark required heart surgery at the age of 26, and was one of the first in the United States to receive the Ross Procedure to switch his aortic valve for his own pulmonary valve, and have a new valve in the pulmonary position. The surgery was successful for nearly 30 years. Mark's health declined in recent years, and succumbed to heart failure suddenly and without warning.

Mark leaves his wife, Suzi Sloan Hersey of Ridgefield, Connecticut; sons Sebastian Hersey of Richmond, Virginia and Tristan Hersey of Austin, TX; mother, Lotte Hersey of Elkhart, Indiana; brother, Nikolay Hersey of Vienna, Austria, and sisters, Hope Perkins of Middlebury, Indiana and Rebecca Russell of Westport, Maine; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was predeceased by his father, Peter Hersey; brother, Fritz Hersey; nephew, Brian Harrison; and brother-in-law, Peter Perkins.

Visitation will take place on Friday, January 3rd from 5-8pm. The Celebration of Life gathering will begin at 1pm on Saturday, January 4th, 2025 with the service starting at 2pm. Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, Virginia 22203. A Celebration of Life will take place on January 4, 2025 at 1pm at Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, Virginia 22203.

In lieu of flowers, donations are gratefully accepted for SmartRecovery.org, Arlington, VA 22203.