Mark Williams D.M.A.
Honor Code SignatorySigned 9 Feb 2022 | 14,478 contributions | 580 thank-yous | 1,913 connections
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Mark Didrik Williams, D.M.A. was born on 31 Mar 1959 in Harlingen, Cameron, Texas, [1] [2] the son of Vincent D. [3] and Verla (Blakey) Williams. [4] Around Jul 1960 the family moved to the small town of Decorah in Winneshiek County, Iowa.
Williams attended elementary and junior high schools there and graduated from Decorah High School, in 1976. [5] He attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa for a year majoring in Computer Science.
He then transferred and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music cum laude from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa (1980), a Master of Arts in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa, Iowa City (1982), and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and Literature with a minor in Opera Production from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1988). [6] [7]
On 8 Jan 1983 he married Amy Louise Farwell in Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa. [8] They divorced on 13 Jan 1989 having no children. [9]
He married Junel Jean Bacigalupo on 20 May 2006 in Squaw Valley, Placer, California. [10] Together they had a daughter, Roslyn Grace Bacigalupo Williams, born on 1 Mar 2007 in Carson City, Nevada. [11] They divorced on 5 Feb 2024 in Minden, Douglas, Nevada. [6]
Dr. Williams taught as an adjunct faculty member at Millikin University in Decatur, IL; at Western Nevada College in Carson City, NV; and at University of Nevada, Reno. He is currently the Music Department Chair at Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe, CA, and has performed over 100 leading and character roles in musical theatre and opera across the United States and internationally. Some of his favorite roles include: The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, Javert in Les Miserables, Jekyll/Hyde in Jekyll and Hyde, Jesus and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Cervantes/Quixote in Man of La Mancha, King Arthur in Camelot, among others. He is also active as a musical and stage director, and has composed the music for four original musical theatre productions.
From 2004-2007, he was a Biographee in Who's Who in America. [12]
When not "working," Mark enjoys swimming, hiking, movies, and of course, genealogy. His trees and genealogy blogs are listed below: [6]
In 2018 he wrote and self-published a short book on his 2x great grandfather, Brede Bredesen Sander, available on Amazon.com. [13]
In 2023 he published a series of four books based on research from his doctoral dissertation, La Bohème as Novel, Play, and Opera. They are also available on Amazon.com. [14]
DNA testing (see below) has brought up some interesting questions. Genealogically I have not yet discovered any Swedish, Finnish, or Spanish/Portuguese ancestors, so that is certainly an area to explore.
It is hoped that through DNA testing I can discover my parents' MRCA (see below).
Ethnicity Inheritance Overview. |
A DNA test at Ancestry (updated 2024) showed the following ethnicity estimate:
At 23andMe the ethnicity estimate was as follows:
Both of my parents also took a DNA test from 23andMe and received an interesting result. Each showed up as a DNA match for distant cousins on the other's DNA relatives. [15]
My mother, Verla (Blakey) Williams, began researching our family history as early as 1975, and created the initial database now found at Williams Family Pages on her IBM personal computer using Family Roots software. She also compiled family booklets that are now preserved on the blogs listed above. For over 30 years she worked diligently on this labor of love. Since 2009 it has been my honor and pleasure to continue her work to ensure that it is available on the internet for any family members searching for their ancestors.
Missy Berryann for her mentoring and for help and suggestions in preparing for the Pre-1500 badge.
Kari Undbekken (7C1R) for assistance on the Husmo family and breaking through the brick wall for Andreas Eriksen Sann.
In the knowledge that we are all mortal, I hereby request that upon my death, all of my managed profiles of deceased persons including my own profile should be set to full open status. (Please add my year of death.) I would welcome any relative to then become profile manager and continue this labor of love which was started so many decades ago.
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Featured National Park champion connections: Mark is 19 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 26 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 19 degrees from George Catlin, 21 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 27 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 21 degrees from George Grinnell, 31 degrees from Anton Kröller, 21 degrees from Stephen Mather, 26 degrees from Kara McKean, 22 degrees from John Muir, 21 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 30 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
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Categories: Decorah, Iowa | Harlingen, Texas | Minden, Nevada | South Lake Tahoe, California | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | University of Iowa | German Roots
Also https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Kings_of_Dublin
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