Mark Kennedy

Waking up to the news of Mark Kennedy passing.

For me, he was a fixture and featured attraction at Origami USA conventions in New York.

Like Mark and Arlene, I spent a good amount of my Convention time in the Gold Mine, selling items that helped fund for my trip. The Gold Mine had a lot of down time when most potential customers were in rooms taking folding classes. For me, Mark's jokes never got old because it was so funny to watch the reactions of kids and parents interacting with him. He'd always tell kids that it was their lucky day because he had a special going on for kids under 12 (or whatever age he said) and allow for them to choose a free pin from a special box of them (Mark and Arlene fold and lacquered origami pin/brooches).

He and Arlene were always generous with their time and energy, freely teaching models he knew and sharing diagrams in his possession.

My one regret was always taking such short trips to NYC, that I never made it to one of their after-Convention fold-and-feed gatherings.

Thank you for the treasured memories, Mark. You touched so many lives- mine being one among them.

The video clip is from OUSA June 24, 2007.

You can see more tributes and memories of Mark shared here.