Mark E. Poulsen

Mark was born in Rockville, Maryland on September 12th, 1963. He was the fourth of five children of Louise Kay Poulsen and Gerald Ralph Poulsen. Mark grew up in a close, loving family with many extended family members. His youthful curiosity and thrill-seeking nature led him into many escapades and endeavors, which have since become legendary stories amongst his friends. His witty charm and sense of humor kept him (mostly) out of hot water and made him a favorite among his friends and family. As a teenager, he learned to work on engines, and worked endlessly to perfectly tune his prized ‘69 Chevrolet Chevelle. By high school, he’d gotten into racing cars, motorcycles, and dirt bikes, at which he was a natural. He focused most intently on motorcycle racing, and this hobby took him all around the mid-Atlantic region, where he was able to hold his own against competitors with far more experience and resources. Mark began his work life at Ray’s Deli in Aspen Hill, Maryland at the age of 14, and this began a lifetime of hard work. He took great pride in the fact that he worked hard to get what he had throughout his life. He went on to work at O’Dell Electric and then completed an apprenticeship program to become a Master Electrician. In 1986, Mark began his career at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, DC as an electrician. After several years, he and his brother Jon entered the Electro-Machinist program together. A proud graduate of the new four-year training program, he didn’t just pass—he soared, earning the highest GPA in his class. But he wore that achievement lightly, preferring to teach others rather than talk about himself. He was the guy who’d fix your problem, explain how he did it, and then—just when you thought he was done—say, “You know, there’s one more thing we could check…” Mark spent the rest of his career at the BEP, moving from the Electro-Machinist position to the Product Development Center, where he designed and developed quality control and inspection equipment for U.S. currency. Mark was the kind of man who could never sit still—not because he had to, but because he genuinely believed there was always one more thing worth doing. Whether it was fine-tuning the electronic examination systems for U.S. currency and postage stamps or helping a colleague troubleshoot a stubborn machine, he approached every task with precision, patience, and a quiet determination that made you wonder if he had a secret stash of extra hours in his day. His legacy at the BEP isn’t just in the systems he helped build, but in the people, he lifted up along the way. He was a mentor, a friend, and a relentless tinkerer with a heart as generous as his toolbox was full. Outside of the BEP, Mark was a father, husband, partner, engineer, problem-solver, storyteller, and lover of life. In July 2000, he and his wife Sally bought a lot in the Hallowing Point neighborhood in Mason Neck, Virginia to raise their kids in a peaceful, family-oriented neighborhood on the Potomac River. After carefully and thoughtfully designing and researching the perfect home for his family, he began construction on it in 2004. Mark worked on the house most weekends and evenings after his full-time job at the BEP. He wore the hats of architect, engineer, project supervisor, construction crew, design consultant, and cleanup crew. With the help of his wife Sally, his brother Jon and a handful of dedicated friends and workers, the Castle House (as it affectionately became known throughout the neighborhood) was completed in 2007. Moving to the waterfront Hallowing Point neighborhood opened up the world of boating to Mark and his family. They spent many days and overnight trips on the Potomac River, learning the fine art of boating. In typical fashion, Mark did extensive work on their boat to upgrade it to his high standards. His latest project was his catamaran, Watermark II. He spent much of the last two years learning every inch of her, researching and then refitting her with all she would need to make her both safe for trans-Atlantic crossings and also a comfortable home. He found great joy and satisfaction in designing signature Mark Poulsen improvements (all of which are patent pending, as he liked to joke) that added functionality, safety and sometimes just pizzazz. He’d planned to retire and live out the rest of his days on his floating piece of paradise alongside his partner Rachael. Mark was a gifted problem solver and engineer, loving nothing more than to dream up a solution and bring it to life. He enjoyed the process just as much as he enjoyed the destination. Mark enjoyed filling his life with new experiences and memorable people. Family was always a big part of Mark’s life, and he made annual pilgrimages to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to reconnect with his very large (yet very close) extended family. Because of the complicated family tree, he was lovingly named “Cuncle Mark,” (a combination of “cousin” and “uncle”) by a whole generation of young children. He loved to travel and bring home stories from wherever he went, jumping eagerly and fearlessly into the unknown and encouraging others to do the same. Everyone who met Mark liked him instantly or found him to be a pain in the butt, or some combination of the two. He was a charming, vivacious man with an infectious laugh. Though he was reliably late to nearly everything, it was hard to stay mad at Mark. His loved ones affectionately coined the term “Poulsen Time” to explain the way that Mark stuck to nobody’s schedule but his own. Everyone who knew him would agree that he was one-of-a-kind with a big personality. Mark was preceded in death by his mother Kay, his father Jerry, and his older brother Jon. He will be deeply missed by his daughter Emery, his son Cooper, his wife (separated) Sally, and his partner Rachael Cole. He will also be missed by his sisters Donna Poulsen Catron (Chris), Lora Poulsen Whitehurst (Ben), and Kathryn Poulsen Dorshimer (Duane), sister-in-law Beth Poulsen, and by his nieces and nephews Samantha, Sylvie, Trent, Melissa, Colby, Berkeley, and Grant, as well as his 12 great nieces and nephews and the rest of his large extended family. We feel comfort knowing he is reunited with his family in Heaven and hope he is sailing off into paradise with fair winds and following seas. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to: https://crabsailing.org - Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) http://potomacriverkeepernetwork.org - Potomac Riverkeeper Network

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Mark E. Poulsen

September 12, 1963 - October 4, 2025