Mark Wallace Mahowald

Mahowald, Mark Wallace 76, of Minneapolis, MN passed away March 18, 2020. Mark was born September 27, 1943 to Shirley and Wally Mahowald and raised in Edina, MN with his two brothers Royd and Paul. He graduated from St. Olaf College and went on to get his medical degree from University of MN Medical School. He completed an internship in pediatrics at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. He then entered the army and served as an MD on Okinawa during the Vietnam war for two years. He decided to complete a residency in neurology at the University of MN. He continued onto a fellowship in epilepsy and began to turn his focus to the then nascent field of sleep medicine, studying sleep disorders focusing on parasomnias. He dedicated his life to studying sleep disorders and directed the MN Regional Sleep Disorder Center. He taught at the University of MN medical school training countless medical students, residents, fellows and colleagues. He, along with his long time friend and colleague Dr Carlos Schenck, described the REM sleep behavior disorder and its treatment. He reviewed and wrote countless book chapters and articles adding to the field of sleep research. He loved working at HCMC for more than 30 years, often saying he should pay the hospital to let him work there. He advocated tirelessly with MN lawmakers to push back the start times of schools to enhance teenagers' learning. In retirement he continued to teach at the medical school and worked at the parasomnias clinic at Stanford University. He volunteered at The Retreat in Minneapolis giving lectures on sleep and addiction. aasm.org/in-memoriam-mark-mahowald-md/ Mark enjoyed fishing with his son Soren and grandson Joe. He made many trips to New York to visit and see Broadway shows with his grandson Jack, daughter Carrie and son in law Scott. He was a voracious reader and became a devout cinephile watching and studying innumerable movies. Last year he suffered a debilitating stroke but never wavered in his fight to rehabilitate. Over the last year he anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed continuous visits from friends and family and enjoyed relentless cheerleading from his therapists and aides that kept him forging on. He succumbed to pneumonia peacefully with his family at his side. He is survived by his brother Paul, son Soren (Amy), daughter Carrie (Scott), grandsons Joseph Gergen and Jack Wolynski, his former wife Maren Mahowald and his loving and adventurous cat Finn. Mark's huge personality, generosity, witty quips, sense of humor, unique use of colorful language and contagious laugh will sorely be missed. His mentoring and wisdom will live on in all those whose lives he touched. His unconditional love and support for his family and friends will forever be felt and passed on to others. There will be a celebration of his life in the coming months. In lieu of flowers Mark would want you to donate to either the Actors Fund (actorsfund.org) to celebrate his love of movies and theatre or a charity of your choice.