Mark R. Kravitz, 62, of Guilford, died peacefully on Sept. 30 surrounded by his family in the house he had lived in for 35 years.  He was the husband of 40 years to Wendy Evans Kravitz.  Born on June 21, 1950 to Paul and Marion Kravitz, Mark grew up outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated magna cum laude from Wesleyan University.

Since fourth grade, Mark knew he wanted to become a lawyer, and he realized this dream at Georgetown University Law Center.  After law school, he went on to clerk for the Honorable James Hunter III in the Third Circuit, and later the Honorable Justice William Rehnquist of the U.S. Supreme Court.  He cherished his time at the Supreme Court, ever nostalgic about his late nights in the library, the lessons he learned, and playing basketball on the highest court in the land.

Following his clerkships, Mark moved back to New Haven to continue his career at Wiggin & Dana, where he worked for 27 years. There, he distinguished himself as a prominent lawyer, appearing before the US Supreme Court and annually listed in Best Lawyers in America for more than a decade. He was particularly interested in First Amendment and appellate law, eventually building and serving as chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice Group.

As justice was important to him throughout his time at Wiggin & Dana, it became his guiding principle as a U.S. District Judge. Nominated by President George W. Bush, he was sworn in by his longtime friend and mentor, the Honorable Chief Justice William Rehnquist, in the summer of 2003. Over the course of a nine-year career he wrote more than 700 opinions, an achievement that takes most judges two decades to accomplish. He was extremely proud of his work on the Standing Committee on the Rules of Practice and Procedure in the United States Court. He served in a variety of roles on the Committee since 2001, most notably as chair of the Standing Committee.

Mark continued working as a judge and on the Rules Committee despite his battling ALS - a true testament to his work ethic and dedication to public service.

Mark was a founding director of the Friends of Yale Children’s Hospital and the Connecticut Food Bank.  He also served as a member of the boards of directors for the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Green Bag Reader, Connecticut Foundation for Open Government, Guilford Library Association, and Board of Ethics for the Town of Guilford, among others.

As if he was not busy enough, he always sought opportunities to mentor aspiring lawyers as a practicing attorney and jurist. He taught at the University of Connecticut School of Law, Yale Law School, and the University of Melbourne (Australia) Graduate School of Law. Colleagues and mentees commonly describe Mark’s intelligence, humility, compassion and respect for each individual appearing before him as some of his greatest qualities. He delighted in mentoring his law clerks, following their careers and family lives.

While he devoted much of his energy to work, Mark was even more dedicated to his family. Nothing could rival the complete devotion and love for his wife Wendy and children, Jen, Lindsey, and Evan.

Mark enjoyed spending time on the water; scuba diving was a favorite activity, with more than 150 lifetime dives. He also relished being on the go, traveling to new places, running in the neighborhood, and hiking into wide open landscapes or up mountains.  In quieter moments, he was a voracious reader and enjoyed watching the New York Yankees with family.

Mark was meticulous about his work, both personally and professionally. Whether pruning his pear tree, building stone walls, hedge trimming his boxwood, or mowing the lawn in patterns that rival Yankees Stadium, he took great pride in the results. Most importantly, he instilled in his children the values he cherished most, thereby providing a firm foundation for the rest of their lives.

In his later years Mark loved to watch his family grow - Eric and Erik, his sons-in-law, and his three grandchildren, Carter, Sydney, and Kaisa. His greatest legacy resides both with the law and his family.

A memorial service is being planned in several weeks’ time, and will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory can be made to the ALS Association CT Chapter, 4 Oxford Rd., Unit D4, Milford, CT 06460, or to support a friend, Dorothy Halsey, running the New York Marathon in his name (http://web.alsa.org/site/TR/3rdParty/GreaterNewYork?team_id=220474&pg=team&fr_id=8680). The Guilford Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.