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Division Chief Marc R. Mullenix

September 16^th, 1957 - January 28^th 2008
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Marc R. MULLENIX , husband, father and dear friend, died January 28, 2008, in Mancos, Colorado. He was 50 years old.

Marc was born to Robert and Charmaine Mullenix on September 16, 1957, in Downey, California. After graduating from high school, Marc attended the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, where he played basketball all four years, and completed his bachelor of science degree in geography, with a minor in coaching. After college, Marc became a hotshot in Alaska, beginning his lifelong career in firefighting. Marc then moved to Nevada, where he began working for the Bureau of Land Management. Marc worked in the Wildland Fire Service for 27 years, 15 years of which he served as Division Chief for the Boulder, Colorado Fire Department. He served as the Fire Management Officer for Mesa Verde National Park, and most recently, Division Chief for Fairmount Fire Protection District. Marc served on the Boulder American Red Cross advisory council, co-developed and managed the Rocky Mountain Wildland Fire Helicopter program, and helped start Wildland Fire Academies in several states. Marc served in the Rocky Mountain Area on Incident Management Teams for 17 years and served as the Incident Commander for 12 years with the Colorado Wildfire and Incident Management Academy. Marc also served as the Type II and Type 1(t) Incident Commander for the Rocky Mountain Region Interagency Fire Community. In addition to his leadership on wildland fire assignments, Marc helped manage the Columbia shuttle recovery, hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita, and disaster response in Colorado.

Marc met his wife, Shawna Legarza, at the World Trade Center recovery efforts for 9/11. They were married in 2005 at West Hampton Beach, Long Island, New York. Marc enjoyed contributing to the communities where he worked and lived, including coaching basketball in Longmont, Colorado, and enjoyed playing golf and basketball in his free time. Marc was a dedicated mentor and colleague, passionate about firefighting, and committed to teaching others in his field. His friends and family will remember him as a person filled with love and respect for his wife, great pride in his daughter, a spirited energy, and enthusiasm for his job.

Marc is survived by his wife, Shawna Legarza, of Mancos, Colorado, and his daughter, Nicolette Mullenix, of Longmont, Colorado. Marc will also be remembered by his former wife, Karen Mullenix, of Longmont, Colorado; his mother, Charmaine Mullenix, of Orcutt, California; his brother, Norm Mullenix, of Prescott, Arizona, and all his friends in the wildland fire community. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Mullenix.

Marc will be honored with a Fire Family Memorial Service on Wednesday, February 6, 2008, at 12:00 p.m. at Faith Bible Chapel, 6250 Wright Street, Arvada, Colorado 80004. Flowers may be sent to Fairmont Fire Protection District, 4755 Isabell Street, Golden, Colorado 80403.

Donations may be made to the Marc Mullenix Life Challenges Foundation at Wells Fargo Bank, 200 West College Drive, Durango, Colorado 81301.