1980s
Michael William Mecklenburg ’80
Michael William Mecklenburg ’80, an artist and architectural preservationist, was born on March 27, 1958, a son of Eleonore and William Mecklenburg. Born in Austin, Texas, he grew up in France and attended the American School of Paris.
After graduation from Hamilton, where he was a member of Sigma Phi, Mecklenburg earned a master’s degree in historic preservation from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture in New York City. He also held a certificate in fine/studio art from the National Academy School of Fine Arts.
After working briefly in advertising in New York City, Mecklenburg spent 22 years as project director for RESTORE, a nonprofit corporation offering educational services related to building conservation and preservation. “He was a generous, thoughtful and gentle soul, very interested in making sure his efforts were expended for good causes,” recalled Jan Anderson, president of RESTORE. “He was devoted to his family, devoted to his dogs, devoted to his art and devoted to RESTORE.”
Mecklenburg moved to Greenville, S.C., a decade ago to be closer to family after the death of his brother Stephen. He applied his knowledge of preservation and planning to help make Greenville a better place to live, according to a published obituary. He had recently established a not-for-profit organization focused on addressing Greenville’s need for low-income housing while preserving its historic heritage.
Also active on the city’s Architectural Design Review Board, he was a member of the Col. Elias Earle Historic District Association, serving as webmaster and past president. He previously served on the boards of Project Care and the Emrys Foundation, and participated in the Greenville Police’s Citizens Academy.
Mecklenburg will be remembered as a gifted conversationalist, a voracious reader who delighted in reading books to children and a lover of nature and animals, especially rescue and shelter dogs. An accomplished artist, working primarily in watercolors, he never went anywhere without his painting supplies.
Michael W. Mecklenburg died on April 14, 2017, at the age of 59. According to news reports, he was found in a car outside a Greenville home, the victim of gunshot wounds. The county coroner ruled the death a homicide. Although Mecklenburg was a driver for Uber, it was unclear whether he was working during the incident. He is survived by his parents, a sister and a brother, William Mecklenburg ’88.
Mark Caro Yallum ’83
Mark Caro Yallum ’83, a visual artist and government employee, was born on Feb. 28, 1962, in Los Angeles, the son of the former Janet Caro and Robert Yallum. Raised in Kingston, N.Y., he graduated from the Ulster Academy before heading to Hamilton.
Yallum studied on College Hill for two years and then at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he lived for a decade or more as he pursued a career in visual arts, according to a published obituary. He moved to New York City in 1993, where he remained until his death. He worked for many years as an inspector at the New York State Liquor Authority.
In recent years, Yallum’s passion for the regional architecture of Ulster County led him to undertake a comprehensive study of the history of the New York county’s old stone houses. His Facebook group on Ulster County’s historic legacy, “Written in Stone,” has more than 1,100 members and bears testament to his erudition and research, the obituary noted.
Yallum traveled extensively throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, but remained passionate about the Hudson Valley. Family, friends and colleagues mourn the death of a brilliant and timeless man known for his love of language and design.
Mark C. Yallum died on Jan. 29, 2017, at his home in the Bronx. He was 54. Survivors include his stepmother and a sister.
