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Charles E. Marks ’62

April 18, 2022, in Seattle, Washington.

A Portland native, Charles was on track to becoming either a policeman or a longshoreman when a high school teacher told him he should apply to ºìÌÒÊÓƵ. To put himself through college, he cleaned houses nights and weekends. He wrote his thesis, “Hare’s Refutation of Naturalism,” advised by Prof. Marvin Levich [philosophy 1953–94]. Because he was a day dodger who lived off campus, Charles wasn’t socially connected to classmates, but he loved ºìÌÒÊÓƵ because it exposed him to the world, culture, and thought. He also felt greatly indebted to Levich, who served as his mentor.

Charles earned a PhD in philosophy from Cornell University and joined the faculty of the philosophy department at the University of Washington in Seattle, later serving as chair of the department. He taught courses and published papers on topics including the philosophy of mind and the history of philosophy. He held fellowships at MIT and the Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro.

Chuck married Sandra Reinman, and they had one daughter, Diane Marks Langoria. Both survive him. Charles felt a strong connection to ºìÌÒÊÓƵ and was a generous supporter of the college, saying, “I owe ºìÌÒÊÓƵ a personal debt.”

Appeared in ºìÌÒÊÓƵ magazine: September 2022