In Memory
Mark Ullrich
December 7, 1952 ~ December 25, 2024 (age 72)
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Mark Ullrich, beloved father and cherished member of our family, on 12/25/2024 at the age of 72. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his sons, after a stroke.
Mark Ullrich was born on 12/7/1952 in Montevideo, MN to Ronald and Geraldine Ullrich. He lived a life full of learning, service, and generosity.
Growing up in Independence, Iowa, Mark played Baseball and Basketball for his school, and at 6’4”, he was usually one of the first players off the bus for away games to intimidate opponents. Mark was also the second of 6 boys in his family, which was the source of many stories of surprising shenanigans from his childhood.
Mark attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1975 with a degree in Mathematics. He met his future wife, Laura (‘77), while they were both studying there. His dorm mates from Stanford Hall would come to refer to her as Tuesdays and Thursdays or T-squared, as those were their standing lunch dates. They were married in August, 1976 at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame.
Mark Ullrich was a dedicated teacher who worked tirelessly for 37 years to make a difference in his students’ lives. He began his teaching career in South Bend at Washington HS, while his wife finished her undergraduate degree at Notre Dame and her Master’s degree at Michigan. He continued his teaching at high schools wherever Laura’s job took them, including Spring, Westfield, ACS Hillingdon (England), Conroe, Oak Ridge, and College Park. Oak Ridge and College Park served as home to the Academy of Science and Technology, the specialized math and science program in which Mark found a home for the rest of his teaching career. He primarily taught Math and Chemistry, but in all his lessons, he also taught ethics, hard work, and accountability. He would get to school early and stay late every day to allow students to come in with questions, retake exams, or to coach their Destination Imagination teams.
He had a passion for all things Notre Dame, trivia, and his grandchildren, and could often be found cheering his grandkids on at sports, taking them on grandpa playdates, playing trivia with his friends and sons, and welcoming everyone to Notre Dame.
He was known for his intellect, dry sense of humor, storytelling, and unquestionable commitment to fairness and honesty.
Mark Ullrich is survived by his sons, Paul (wife Annie) and Jeff (fiancée Annie), his 5 brothers, Steve, Bob, Dave, Tom, Jim, and his grandchildren Caroline, John, and Emma. He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura, and his parents, Ron and Jeri.
A service to honor Mark Ullrich's life will be held on 1/17/2025 at 2:30pm, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. A visitation will be held from 11:00am to 2:00 pm at Kaniewski Funeral Home in South Bend, IN. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mark and Laura Ullrich Scholarship at Notre Dame (http://giving.nd.edu/Ullrich-Scholarship), the American Cancer Society (https://donate.cancer.org/?campaign=default&lang=en), or the American Brain Tumor Association (https://give.abta.org/fundraiser/5933028).
He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
To send online condolences, please visit http://www.kaniewski.com.
01/10/2025 DEC
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