Mark Joseph Paulik

Born August 21, 1979, in Munster, IN, Mark was recognized early on as a remarkable child. Simply put, Mark was brilliant—frustratingly so to lesser mortals. No matter the subject, Mark was at the top of his class. In fact, he was the valedictorian of the 1997 graduating class of Beecher High School.

Mark excelled at sports and was an avid fan of Chicago professional teams. One of his fondest memories was playing baseball with future MLB player Curtis Granderson as a

child in Lynwood, IL—knowing even then that he was witnessing greatness and being blown away by the young man’s talent.

In high school, Mark focused less on sports and more on punk rock and being a Mathlete. To be honest, he was also having a lot of fun and probably drinking a bit too much cheap beer. But that didn’t stop him from being a great big brother; a brother who never said no to playing catch with his little sister or stepping in for their father to walk her into a volleyball senior recognition night.

Mark graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in economics. There, he met lifelong friends who he loved, challenged him, and made him a better man. He never settled on a career, but that had more to do with his desire not to be beholden to a corporation than anything else. He wasn’t wrong that dogs are better than most humans, and he ended up running his own dog-walking business.

Mark loved science fiction and fantasy, and his nieces and nephew, was witty, kind, and a genuinely good human. A friend and former roommate recently shared a story that perfectly captures who he was: in their shared bathroom, instead of the expected Sports Illustrated or Maxim magazine, Mark had a book about Quantum Physics.

He is survived by his loving mother, Jacqueline Paulik, who was there for him every day; his younger sister, Melissa Leal, her husband Gustavo “Tavo,” and their five children: Alyssa, Gustavo “Beto,” Morelia, Mirabelle, and Amelia. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald, and his sister, Samantha Paulik.

A service celebrating Mark’s life will be held at his sister’s home in Bloomington, IL on Saturday, April 11 at 2 pm. All those who loved him are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Melanoma Research | The American Cancer Society. He knew he waited too long for a diagnosis and treatment. So please, do all you can to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy. Early detection and preventative measures are so important.

But he did have one more ask. That people stand up for what they believe is right. He wanted a kinder, just world for all of us. He would never want anyone to put their lives at risk, but he would want us to be bold and to fight for a better world, for fairness, for equality, and for freedom.