Mark Allen Hume

The world lost a great Scottish lad on November 14, 2023 with the passing of Mark Hume. Raised in Tustin, CA, Mark was the youngest of three boys of George Hume and Julia (Fullager) Hume. He had bright eyes, curly hair, a creative and energetic mind and spirit. His pursuits included academics, athletics, and theater including Little League, musical theater, Boy Scouts, basketball & football. Mark attended Tustin High School, class of 1980.

After high school, Mark headed to the great Northwest to attend Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Mark described Willamette as “a college beautiful, green and wet!” And the place of what he considered the best fraternity ever – Kappa Sigma. Willamette inspired Mark to further his academic and career pursuits beyond his Bachelors. He earned a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology at Cal State University Fullerton and an additional Masters degree and ultimately a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology.

Mark Twain said, ““Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” If that’s true, Mark never really “worked”, despite financially supporting his family. In his career, Mark excelled in his forensic work as a psychologist at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk and California Institution for Men in Chino. Additionally, he was a Professor of Clinical Psychology and Assessment at Argosy University in Santa Ana and Practicum Supervisor at CIM (California Institute for Men). Mark helped both institutions receive American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation. He was a presenter at several Society for Personality Assessment (SPA) conferences.

Mark met the love of his life, Donna Armfield, while working at College Hospital. They married at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach, CA in 1991. They were blessed with three children – Cameron Alexander (age 30), Duncan Liam (age 28) and Isobel Marie (age 24) Mark and Donna welcomed Donna’s niece, Kristin (age 32), into their family when Kristin was 12 years old and considered their family complete with her addition.

Mark was a devoted husband and dad – a true co-parent with Donna, transporting the four children to multiple activities day and night, coaching, cheering, and capturing images of their different events and creating banquet slide shows. A time or two, Mark was even ejected from soccer games for critiquing the refs on their officiating; calls that Mark considered less than favorable towards his children or their team.

A man of few words but strong convictions, Mark found an additional voice through song and music ministry at the family’s long-time church, Santiago de Compostela in Lake Forest, where Mark invigorated the ministry with contemporary, more youthful music. Mark also served as a Eucharistic Minister and served in the Baptism ministry along with Donna. For several years, Mark played the role of Jesus in the church’s Good Friday reenactment, with sons Cameron & Duncan playing apostles.

Mark and Donna shared a love of the outdoors and often took the kids along for the adventure - camping, hiking, backpacking, skiing/snowboarding and exploring National Parks. Highlights of their adventures included hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon on several occasions (including after just six weeks of dating!), Havasupai trail to Havasu Falls, hiking the Nepali coast of Kauai, High Sierra Camp, and white-water rafting.

Mark and Donna instilled the value of education in their children: Kristin earned a degree in sociology from San Francisco State, Cameron earned a biology degree from Wake Forest University; and Duncan and Isobel both have business/accounting degrees from The Ohio State University. All are successful in their chosen professions.

In December 2012, Mark began experiencing early symptoms of what would eventually be diagnosed as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Mark viewed his medical and health challenges as teachable moments. Having spent a lifetime and a career teaching, helping, guiding and caring for others, Mark had to put aside his self-sufficiency to accept care from others. He also relied on his faith and the scripture from Romans 5, verses 3-5: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Inspired and motivated with Scottish spirit and his favorite movie, Princess Bride, Mark started the “As You Wish” fundraising team. Members donned kilts for the walk to help defeat ALS, most recently gathering for the event on Nov. 4. Mark’s team has been one of the top fundraisers for ALS Orange County over the past 10 years. Despite his diagnosis and an average life expectancy of 2-5 years, Mark embraced life every day and lived almost 11 full years post-ALS diagnosis.

Mark is survived by his wife Donna, children Cameron, Duncan and Isobel, niece Kristin, brother in law Mick, brother John and his children Gigi, Eryn, Ghost, and Connor. He was predeceased by his parents George Hume and Julia (Fullager) Hume, and his brother Steve.

Mark will be profoundly missed by his family, friends, colleagues, fraternity brothers and all who knew him.

It truly has taken a village of tremendous support, love and prayers. We are thankful to our family, friends, and the many care-givers/nurses who accompanied Mark in his ALS journey.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mark’s memory can be made to ALS Orange County at http://support.alsaoc.org/goto/MarkHume (please make note of the website address as there are two ALS organizations in Orange County). Messages can be sent to the family at manddhume@gmail.com. Funeral arrangements will be in January and announced soon.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com for the Hume family.