Mark Wendell Callis

Mark Wendell Callis was born on July 2, 1947, in Herrin, Illinois, the oldest child of Otis Wendell Callis and Doris Dinsmore Callis. He grew up as an Army brat in Illinois, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Texas, and Germany. His family settled in Austin in 1962.

Mark graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in 1965. He earned two degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, a B.A. in Psychology in 1975 and a B.S. in Nursing in 1996.

Mark served honorably in the Army National Guard, where he was trained as a medical corpsman. He worked in the car business in Austin for more than 20 years, before returning to school in 1993 to pursue his dream of becoming a Registered Nurse.

In 1996, Mark began working for the Seton Healthcare Family. He spent most of his career at Seton Medical Center PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit). Mark loved his nursing practice. He was appreciated by his colleagues and by his patients. In 2012, Mark was proud to receive a DAISY award, an honor given to nurses who demonstrate extraordinary skill and compassion in patient care.

Mark's many passions included books, music, art, and history. He never stopped learning. He enjoyed traveling, and he was a life-long outdoorsman whose interests included fishing and golf. Mark had a wonderful sense of humor and a great appreciation for everyday things.

Mark is survived by his sister, Diane Callis Hall, and his brother-in-law, Jon Hall, of Austin; two aunts, Aimee Bishop of East Dubuque, Illinois, and Frances Calcaterra of Herrin, Illinois; and many cousins. Mark also leaves behind a host of friends, most notably his best friend of more than 53 years, Robert Woolfolk of Princeton, New Jersey.

A memorial service to celebrate Mark's life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 21, 2015, in McFadden Auditorium at Seton Medical Center, 1201 W. 38th Street, in Austin.

In keeping with Mark's love of the natural beauty of this world, memorial donations may be made to any charity that benefits wildlife.

Mark was greatly loved, and he will be deeply missed.