Mark Gresham's Quiche

Last week I made Mark Gresham's recipe for Quiche Florentine.  He first made this for me at my apartment in Corpus Christi, probably in 1979, and it was something we ate pretty regularly since it was pretty easy to make.  

Like most good cooks, Mark did not have this recipe written down.  I watched him make it a few times and wrote it down on an index card.  And as a good cook (boy I was SO lucky), the quantities Mark put in of some of the ingredients - especially the green onions, mushrooms, swiss cheese, and butter (not margarine!) - could vary from quiche to quiche.

Above and below:  My recipe card (front and back) for Mark's quiche - written about 1979.

Above:  The completed quiche.

Below:  The last piece of this quiche - last night's dinner.

Yesterday, I ate the last piece of this one.  I experimented a little and, instead of using a box of frozen chopped spinach, I used bags of salad spinach that I'd put in the freezer shortly after buying them - I chopped and weighed until I had ten ounces.  I think Mark would be proud of me.

Making it brings back some lovely memories of our early times together.  This recipe is something I will definitely be making frequently.

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

Nineteen Years Ago: Graduation and the Next Eleven Days

Saturday, May 13, 2006, was my graduation with a Master of Science in Library Science (MSLS) from the University of North Texas.  Mark wore a coat and tie for this event, too.

Continuing the story from yesterday - things moved pretty fast the next eleven days.  

On Monday, May 15, 2006, I followed up on a couple applications I'd submitted for jobs I was particularly interested in, and determined I wasn't likely to get them.  Late that day, I was contacted by Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, and asked to come for an interview on Thursday, May 18, for the Special Services Librarian position I'd applied for on May 11.

On Tuesday, May 16, 2006, Mark drove with me to Jacksonville, Texas, so he could check out the town while I had an interview at Lon Morris College, a private church-run junior college.  The job had some interesting perks (not having to work in June or July, as I recall), but as it turned out, the college filed for bankruptcy on July 2, 2012, and the campus was auctioned off on January 14, 2013.  

On Thursday, May 18, 2006, I interviewed at Tarleton, where librarians do not have faculty status.  This interview was only a half-day, with the key part being the first hour spent with the search committee, the rest mostly being tours.

I don't remember much about the interview, other than I thought it went well.  I received a call from them later that afternoon, as I pulled into the driveway of my brother's home for a long weekend in Austin.  I was offered the job and I accepted it immediately.

So why was that?  

Although we could have lived in Corpus Christi - and I wonder sometimes if Mark would have been happier there, closer to his best friend / "brother" Tom Utter - I don't remember discussing the decision much, other than Mark saying something to the effect that "it was just as well, as Tom and I would probably just get in trouble again."  (Maybe I was afraid of that too.)  Maybe the pay differential (if there even was one) did not offset the hassles of faculty status in Kingsville.  Or maybe the Tarleton job just felt right - as indeed, it turned out to be just right.

On Friday, May 19, 2006, I was in Austin for cousin's daughter's graduation and party, and Mark was helping his son Drew move the sailboat from Lewisville to San Antonio (where Drew had accepted a new teaching job for the fall).  I'm not sure what happened the rest of the weekend - if we got together in one city or the other, traveled back north together, or what - I don't have any record of that.

I do know that I was back at my cousin Tom's home in Grapevine by Sunday, May 21.  I only had a few more hours to work to complete my assistantship contract at UNT, which I finished on Tuesday, May 23.  The next day, Wednesday, May 24, 2006 (circled on my paper calendar for that month), I moved in with Mark at his apartment in Granbury.

As I wrote to my friend Poom on Monday, May 22, 2006, 

"Tarleton State is in Stephenville, which is only 30 miles/minutes from Granbury!  So, I will start moving in with Mark (Breathless) later this week.  Today he is starting on the house hunt (we are planning to buy a house, or at the very least to rent something bigger) and I will join him to work on that later this week."

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

Nineteen Years Ago: From Easter to Graduation

Above:  Mark Gresham and Amanda Pape, May 12, 2006, at her induction into the Beta Phi Mu, the international honor society for library and information sciences, Denton, Texas.

Back in 2006, a lot happened in the almost-four weeks between Easter (April 16) and the event pictured above (May 12).  With one minor exception (a quick update on April 27), there are NO e-mail exchanges between me and Mark from March 30 to May 14, 2006.  That's partly due to being able to talk to each other by phone for free (this was back in the days when some long-distance calls, even on cell phones, were not free), and also due to spending more time together in person.  But it was also due to my being incredibly BUSY.

I did, however, write a little bit about what was going on to some of my friends.  On Thursday, April 20, 2006, I told my friend Shannon, "It will be nice to be DONE with the schoolwork in about two weeks and able to concentrate more on the job hunt.  It's also nice to have Mark back in my life as he has assured me I don't have to worry about living expenses--if I just move in with him!"

On Friday, April 21, 2006, I drove from Grapevine to Granbury and spent the next four days with Mark before I went to Houston for the Texas Library Association conference (TLA).  I told him I had to get a lot of schoolwork and job apps done while there, though!  We did find time for some fun.

On Saturday, April 22, 2006, I finished my library school practicum at the Denton Public Library with a half-hour review with my supervisor there, Kathy Strauss.  Then Mark and I went on to the Denton home of my adviser, Dr. Sam Hastings, and her annual "Spring Fling" party for library school faculty, staff, alumni, and students.  I wrote Dr. Sam later to thank her "so much for making my sweetie feel so welcome at your party on the 22nd.  He really had a great time.  So did I!" 

TLA was April 25-28; I drove down to Houston on Tuesday the 25th as the first event I was attending was that evening.  I spent most of Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th in the job placement center, since I was graduating in less than three weeks.  I had five informal interviews, spoke with someone I'd interviewed with at the American Library Association meeting back in January (they'd had construction delays at a new building so had slowed down on hiring new staff for it), and met the head of the search committee for the big interview coming up on May 9 at Texas A&M - Kingsville.

TLA ended on Friday, April 28, 2006, and I drove back to Granbury to spend some more time with Mark, before returning to Grapevine either late on Sunday, April 30, or early on Monday, May 1.  The final project in my last class was due at midnight April 30/May 1, and a bad storm had knocked out the internet at Mark's apartment, so we had to go to a local Starbucks for me to finish.

That first week of May, I was still working in my assistantship job in the Government Documents department at the University of North Texas Willis Library, and also preparing for the big interview - while continuing to apply for other jobs, even having a phone interview for another one that week.

By Friday, May 5, all I had left in coursework was one assignment and one test (online on May 10) in one class, so I headed to my parents' home in Fredericksburg.  I left Grapevine really early so I could go with my dad to his prostate cancer treatment in San Antonio. He was near the beginning of 28 days of business-day treatment where he made the hour-plus drive in for 25 minutes of radiation, then drove home. By going along with him, I could at least give my mother a break from the trips.

On Saturday, May 6, my parents and I drove to Austin for my nephew's First Communion. The next day, Mark came to Austin and met my parents and brother Mark, and then it was off to Corpus Christi.

We got into CC that evening and stayed with Tom and Susan Utter. Tom worked for the City when Mark and I did - Mark said he was the closest thing he had to a brother.  Mark had not told them he was back with me, so that was quite the surprise for them. 

They were great hosts with a lovely home, and we ate at some wonderful restaurants, and we also got the grand tour of all the changes in CC. There had been TONS since we lived there 20+ years ago, and a lot even since I last visited in 2000.  Mark was last there in 2003 to pull his sailboat, The Wagon, out of the CC Marina and give it to his son Drew.

The big interview at Texas A&M - Kingsville was Tuesday, May 9, 2006, 8am to 5pm. Talk about grueling! I had interviews with various groups and individuals, some more than once, and there was overlap in the groups.  Part of the reason was that librarians generally had faculty status at this university.  I thought the interviews went pretty well.  I felt relaxed and thought I generally gave good answers. Even the presentation I had to make went well, although it was not as polished as I would like.

After a nice celebratory dinner with Tom and Susan in CC that night, the next day, Wednesday, May 10, we made the 9-hour drive back to Granbury and Grapevine via Austin (to pick up my car).

I was back to work at my assistantship on Thursday and Friday, May 11 and 12 - I only had 32 hours to go on my contract at that point. On Friday the director of the library at Kingsville called and offered me the job.  As I had some other "irons in the fire," we agreed that I'd give her my decision by Thursday, May 18.

That evening was my induction into the Beta Phi Mu honor society.  Mark dressed up so nicely for the occasion!  We went out for dinner afterwards with his son Drew, who was then living and teaching in nearby Lewisville.

Come back tomorrow to find out what happened in the next twelve days!

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

Memories for Mother's Day

This isn't specifically a memory about Mother's Day, but it is a memory of my mom, her sister, and their mother, my maternal grandmother.  I took the photograph below on a visit home to Houston, Texas (I was living and working in Corpus Christi at the time) on April 18, 1982.  From left to right are my grandmother Sara Melzina Wolfe Guokas Archibald (1907-1997) and her daughters, my aunt Jo Ann (Sister Jean Marie) Guokas (1930-2024), and my mother, Geraldine Margaret Guokas Pape (1928-2017).  

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

Tributes to Mark Gresham

It's been almost two weeks since some of Mark's family and I placed his ashes in Corpus Christi Bay (photos here) on April 11, followed by a come-and-go reception - "Gresham's Freebie" - the next day (photos here).  

Former co-workers who attended the latter were Bob Heil (Mark's and my co-worker in Budget; later with Park and Recreation), Jennie Duran (my boss when I was with Information Services), Judy Dreyer (my co-worker in Park and Recreation), Pat Menville (Mark's co-worker in Budget), Ed (Ray) Menville (Traffic Engineering), and Tomas Duran (Personnel).  There were a number of other co-workers who were unable to attend, but they sent the following messages:

From Michael Gunning:

"I have been thinking of Mark and the great times we had, especially fishing in his pontoon boat on the Laguna Madre. ...

You're the best thing that happened to Mark."

[After five years as a city planner with the City of El Paso, Michael Gunning joined the City of Corpus Christi as a planner in 1973.  He became Director of Planning and Development in 1998, and was Assistant and then Acting Director of Development Services (Planning, Engineering, Building Inspections and Permits) 2003-2007.]

Above:  Mark fishing on what may be the pontoon boat Michael refers to - photo taken sometime between April and October, 1974.

Below:  Michael Gunning after a fishing trip, photo by Mark Gresham, undated, but sometime between 1974 and 1985.

A toast from Chuck Speed:

"Here is to the good memories in Corpus Christi when we were young professionals at the old City Hall on the Bay and embraced life like there was no tomorrow.  May Mark rest in peace and remind us of him when we see the sailboats in Corpus Christi Bay."

[Chuck was the Director of Personnel / Human Resources and Civil Service

October 1971 - April 2000 for the City of Corpus Christi, followed by the City of Amarillo starting in 1984.  He met his wife Cynthia while she was also working for the City's Utilities Department.]

Above:  view of west and south sides of [old] City Hall on Shoreline Drive [the Bay], Corpus Christi, Texas.  From Penick, Monica, and Carol Wood: "Memorial Coliseum, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas." National Register of Historic Places nomination (draft; building demolished), 2010. On file with the Texas Historical Commission.

Below:  Kerry and Randy Moravec, sometime before April 1980, Corpus Christi, Texas.

From Randy Moravec:

"Mark was a wonderful supervisor. He treated the budget & management group as a team. His had more of a mission-driven rather than rule-driven style, giving us general direction and then letting us pursue assignments with freedom. He always gave constructive criticism and I don't recall him ever chastising me, or any other team member, for how we conducted ourselves. He had a wonderful perspective of government, and gave us the opportunity to work directly with Marvin Townsend, the most intelligent city manager I ever encountered.

Steve Craven and I arrived at the city about the same time and one of my favorite memories was when Pat [Menville], looking over her glasses, with a cigarette in her hand told us something like: "Mark said one of you was very intelligent and one of you had a great sense of humor; I can't tell which one of you possesses those characteristics." Although that statement could have been taken as neither one of us was intelligent or humorous, the way she said it caused me to laugh out loud.

My time in Corpus Christi provided me with a great foundation for my 35 years in municipal government. I was with the city for only 3 and a half years, but my next job was finance director at Kingsville; an incredible opportunity so early in my career."

[Randy was with Kingsville for seven years, also serving as an assistant city manager, and went on to serve as the chief financial officer for the Town of Addison for 24.5 years.]

From Pinkney Butler:

"Mark was such an accomplished person. I learned so much from him while in the Budget Office & really liked his management style. He supported us in an exemplary sort of way. A great human being with a calm coolness about him.

I worked with Oscar [Martinez], Mary [Comstock], Bob [Heil] and Gale [Garrett, all in the Budget Office] from around 1980-1983 before coming to Tyler."

[Pinkney worked his way up in Tyler to become City Manager in 1997, and retired in 2003.]

Above:  Excerpt from an article in the September 1983 "Corpus Christi Magazine."

Below:  Plaque on the large framed aerial photo of Corpus Christi and the Marina given to Mark by the Budget Office staff when he left the city in August 1985.

From Pat Menville (who WAS able to come):

"He definitely had a zest for life and enjoyed a great career.  Back in the day when I worked for him alongside Mary [Comstock] and Randy [Moravec], we worked hard and we also played hard.  I feel we were all justifiably proud of the dedicated service we provided the citizens of Corpus Christi.  I very much remember his passion for sailing and was glad to read that he continued that over the years.  We never have enough time with those we care about, but they live on in our memories and, in Mark's case, through the mentorship he provided all of us during our careers."

And after the event, she posted:

"We had a lovely getaway this weekend to celebrate the life of someone we worked with many decades ago when we were all young and idealistic.  We worked hard, we played hard, and believed in a world of vast possibilities.  It was amazing to see old friends and meet new ones."

[Pat Reyna Menville worked for the City of Corpus Christi from about 1967 until  about 1979.  She started in the collection department (traffic tickets), moved over to Accounting, then on to Engineering and finally into Budget.  Her husband Ed (Ray) Menville also worked for the City (that's where they met!) as Assistant Traffic Engineer before becoming Director of Engineering in Victoria in 1981 and Director of Public Works in West University Place in 1991.  They retired in 2001.] 

Photos of Mark over the years are here - this online album is a work in progress, with more to be added.

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

Happy Easter - ABT 1948!

Mark with his sister, Frances Ann Gresham Beug, hunting Easter eggs around 1948, probably in Corpus Christi, Texas.

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

Easter 2006: I Meet Kim and Her Family for the First Time

An excerpt from an e-mail to one of my friends, sent Tuesday, April 18, 2006:

Easter weekend was interesting.  I met Mark's older daughter, Kim, her husband Mike, and the rest of their 7 kids (4 hers, 2 his, one theirs).  I figured out that she is 6 months older than my baby sister (i.e. Kim will turn 42 in about 10 days); Mark was only 22 when she was born. ... They were all very nice and made me feel comfortable; I helped hide eggs for the Easter egg hunt.  I also took off my rings to help with dishes and Kim and one of her daughters were looking at them; if they did the math they can tell from my high school and A&M rings (Mike went to A&M) that I am 49!

 

Yesterday we picked up Mark's youngest son Drew at the airport; he had gone to San Antonio to see his girlfriend (and thus Mark was dog-sitting in Lewisville).  We had lunch and Mark told Drew he is moving wherever I end up (this came about as the two of them were discussing getting Mark's stuff out of California).  Drew seemed a little surprised.

 

I feel bad in both cases because Kim said something to Mark as we were leaving about how nice it was that he was close by (instead of in California) and Drew said something similar (he will be moving to San Antonio this summer and the boat will move to Canyon Lake, and he said he still wants Mark to go sailing with him).  I'd almost hate to end up in Kingsville* so far from his family.

---------

* I had an interview for a librarian position with Texas A&M - Kingsville scheduled for early May 2006.  Although it would have been nice to live in South Texas again (we probably would have lived in Corpus Christi, and I would have commuted), I'm glad I ended up at Tarleton State University in nearby Stephenville.  Kim has always invited us to family events at her home, an hour and a half away.  I'm excited to be going there for Easter this coming Sunday.

I took pictures on Easter 2006 (which was April 16 that year), but most did not turn out well as I was still learning to use the camera Mark gave me.  Here are a couple that did come out OK - one obviously taken by Mark.

Above:  Mark's oldest granddaughters, Holly and Heidi.

Below:  Me, taken by Mark.

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

Some Photos from April 15, 2006

Here are a couple pictures I took on Saturday, April 15, 2006.  Mark and I must have gone into Grapevine for lunch, and to do a little shopping.  The model sailboat (which we bought, either then or not long after) was at the Blue Moon Gallery on Main Street, now closed.  Still had a tough time getting a good photo of Mark - had to use a flash in the restaurant we were in, so most shots have reflections in his glasses, but in this one, he has the nicest smile.

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

The Birthday I'll Always Remember

Today is my birthday.  I've had some memorable ones, but the photo above, which I took 45 years ago, on April 4, 1980, will always remind me of the best one.  

I sent this photo to my girlfriends back in Seattle in late March, 2006, about two months after Mark and I reunited (after over 21 years apart).  Here is some of what I told them:  

He says it's the best photo ever taken of him.  Of course he was 38 in this photo and I kid him about looking like a rock star in this one!  Turn the hair white/gray and add more wrinkles and you pretty much have how he looks now.  He still has the same smile and smile lines. ...

I thought you might want to see part of what attracted me to him in the first place.  It was never looks though, I was attracted more by the fact that he admired my mind, we could have intelligent conversations, and he was very loving and attentive.  Still is all of the above. ...

I forgot to add that when I look at him now, what I SEE is the guy on the boat I fell in love with 26 years ago.

And to Mark:  "...the photo is what I see when I look at you even today...an incredibly sexy man."

--------

Mark and I went out on Corpus Christi Bay in his sailboat, The Wagon, on April 4, 1980, along with his best friends Tom Utter (who co-owned the sailboat) and Sarah Cole.  It was a Friday (just like it is this year) and I'm pretty sure it was after work.  

Now I'm the only one left.  In a week, I will be in Corpus Christi on a sailboat, to place his ashes in the Bay he loved so much.  The next day, some family and friends will gather in his honor and he'll pick up the tab one last time:   

The invitation above is based on a card Mark must have carried in his wallet for a long time.  I think Tom ("Utterly") and Sarah ("Cold") must have made it for him.  It's based on the logo for Cooper's Alley, a restaurant and bar where many city employees would hang out after work, and where Mark was often known to pick up the tab (or at least buy a round) for the entire table.  (I don't remember ever having to pay for a drink there.)

If any of Mark's old friends are reading this on or before April 12, 2025 - it's not too late!  Just come - don't worry about an RSVP.

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!

April 2, 2006 - Mark and the Ducks

I was extremely busy in April 2006, with finishing my library school classes, practicum, and assistantship job, and with job hunting and interviewing.  I did spend a quiet Sunday, April 2, 2006, with Mark at his apartment in Granbury, and took this photo of him feeding the ducks that would actually peck at his door to get him to come out and feed them pieces of tortillas.

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!