Jefferson Mark Wiedemann
Sept. 7, 1951 – Jan. 17, 2026

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Mark Wiedemann. Mark recently lost his battle with complications from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Mark was born in Lexington, Kentucky, to Jeff and Dorcas Wiedemann. As the firstborn, he was later joined by siblings Randal (Martha), Holly (Bart), Britton (Erin) and Hope (John). He attended The Lexington School, Sayre School, St. George’s Prep School and Transylvania University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He also attended the University of Kentucky and received a bachelor’s degree in nursing. He then moved to San Francisco, worked as a registered nurse, and obtained a master’s degree in environmental science from the University of San Francisco.

After serving as a critical care nurse, he returned to Lexington to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Kentucky in 1991. He returned to California, where he met his wife, Jackie, and they married in 1991. They moved to Saginaw, Michigan, where Mark completed his residency. After a stint in Coos Bay, they headed south to Arcata.

They settled in Arcata, among the redwoods and surrounded themselves with nature and animals. Over the years, they cared for dogs, cats, chickens, goats and horses. He had a pet horse, Mr. Ed, and taught him to “count.” Mark’s passion for creation was fulfilled as he built a series of structures, including a woodshop, barn, hobby studio and greenhouses to grow grapefruit and winter tomatoes. He was a remarkable Renaissance man.

He recently built a massive redwood slab table measuring 9 feet long and 4 inches thick from wood milled on his property. Somehow, he moved it onto a deck 20 feet above the ground entirely by himself.

He was always fixing things and had a multitude of projects underway. He enjoyed growing vegetables, fruits and flowers, which were mostly enjoyed by wildlife such as deer and bears. He was also a beekeeper. Mark enjoyed woodworking, painting and tinkering for decades on his beloved “Blue Goose,” a 1950s GMC police/ambulance Carryall, restoring it to better-than-mint condition.

He dug steps into the hillside of his property and moved mountains of dirt while contouring his yard with a tractor. He created a water system that ran to his house, small orchard and greenhouse, all fully automated.

Mark’s conscientious care for his fellow human beings led him to practice family medicine and emergency medicine. Later, he focused on wound care. His compassionate nature extended not only to humans but to animals as well.

Mark’s Christian faith shaped how he lived, learned and treated people. He was a faithful member of Telios Christian Fellowship, attending Sunday services and midweek Bible study, later participating virtually. For many years, he also supported Monday Night Torah through his regular weekly presence and took part in other classes, including Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and close-up magic. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife, Jackie; his siblings; and nieces and nephews: Emily (Benjamin), Adam (Hannah), Paul, Seth (Taylor), Josh, Hannah (Craig), Brittjan (Rachel), Eliza, Christopher, William, Breanna, Emmie, Henry, George, Oliver, Lauren (Kevin), Alex (Lindsay) and Carmen.

A remembrance gathering will be held Feb. 14 from 2-4 p.m. at Telios Christian Fellowship, 1575 L St., Arcata. An additional remembrance gathering will be held in Kentucky at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Mark Wiedemann’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.