On Friday night, a huge hush came over the hockey rink when "Hutch" suffered a massive coronary and had to leave us before his time.
He was a husband, father, grandpa, friend, hunter, skater, pilot, skier, and a lover of life at a much-too-abbreviated end.
Mark Randall Hutchison was born to Cora and Marlin Hutchison on Aug. 22, 1945, in Breckenridge, Minn., and moved to Coeur d'Alene to begin first grade. An Idaho-raised boy through and through, Mark graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in Zoology. After college he married Beth Nelson and they had three daughters. During that time, he taught junior high school in Seattle.
In 1975, he moved to the Wood River Valley where he became a painting contractor. He later went into partnership with his brother in golf course construction. In 1992, he married Nancy Mulroney, and for the past nine years has worked as installation project manager for Evergreen Landscaping.
Hutch was a friend to everyone he ever met, whether on the hockey rink, in a duck blind, flying the friendly skies, or flying down Baldy. The "King of Silver Creek" was gentle and generous and brought a huge smile to everyone's face. Not many a man would give you the shirt off his back, but you could always depend on Hutch for that. Honorable and honest, trustworthy and true, he was a man of his word.
The love of his wife and daughters was exceeded only by that of his four grandsons, Jack, Christopher, Nicholas and Matthew. Grandpa taught them to "ski behind me" (meaning without any turns, Hutch's maniac style).
A huge heart, a big smile, and the best friend anyone could have—Hutch, this place won't be the same without you.
Mark is survived by his wife, Nancy; his daughters Rachel (Matthew) Langenderfer of Cincinnati, Ohio, Barbara Hutchison of Boise, Helen (Jake) Shedden of Charlotte, N.C.; four grandsons, Jack, Christopher, Nicholas, and Matthew Langenderfer of Cincinnati; brothers Bill Hutchison of Minneapolis, Steve (Paula) Hutchison of Dallas; sisters Collette Hutchison of Coeur d'Alene and Audrey (Dale) Fulton of Post Falls; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Milo Hutchison.
Hutch will be especially missed by his faithful hunting companion, "The General."
Services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008, at the Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood in Ketchum. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Sun Valley Youth Hockey or Ducks Unlimited.
Condolences may be left at www.woodriverchapel.com.
