O Mark Anthony '73 TAMU Memorial Rugby Scholarship
O.
Mark Anthony, a wonderful husband, father, and loyal friend went to be with
Jesus on January 13, 2022, free at last from the captivity of
Alzheimer’s.
He was born in Monahans, Texas, on September 22, 1950, to Oscie and Vinita Anthony. Mark graduated from Monahans High School in 1969. Upon graduation, he attended Texas A&M University, where he joined the Corps of Cadets. On campus, he found two lifetime loves. The first was the game of rugby where he played in the scrum. A career highlight was competing on the 1974 National Championship team, which was inducted into the Texas A&M Rugby Hall of Fame in 2018. At the Baptist Student Union, Mark met his second-lifetime love, Charla McCulloch. Mark and Charla married on April 20, 1974, at Central Baptist Church, Bryan, and in 1984, were blessed with a son, Philip.
After graduating from Texas A&M in 1973, Mark began a career in commercial construction. For 35 years he owned and operated Mark Anthony Company and Philcom Constructors. Some of his favorite projects were churches and he was privileged to participate in the construction of over 20 churches.
Mark achieved a lifelong dream of ranching, acquiring a modest herd of cattle with the guidance of his father-in-law Charles McCulloch and friend, Neil Scott. This endeavor provided Philip the opportunity to be in the Texas 4H youth program, just like his parents.
Mark had a God-given talent to sing! He shared this gift at weddings, community functions, funerals, church revivals, and in the choir at Central, College Station, where he was an ordained deacon.
While in college, Mark came to know Jesus as his Savior and he was eager to share the good news about Christ. He knew that it is the power of God at work, saving anyone who believes. He often shared with friends and strangers how God makes us right in his sight through faith and trust in Jesus. Mark demonstrated a Christ-centered life providing for family, serving others, expressing kindness, while loving and serving the Lord.
Mark is survived by his wife of 47 years, Charla, son Philip and his wife Kelly, his granddaughters Noelle and Hope Anthony and brothers Rayford and James Anthony, his nieces, nephews, and extended family. Mark was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Wesley and Morris Anthony, and Charla’s parents, Charles and Mary McCulloch.
The Anthony family is grateful for all the friends that supported Mark during his illness. Enabling him to volunteer at the W. 26th St Food Pantry and SHIP Ministries, attend Aggie rugby events, and sing in his church choir.
We are grateful to Demetria Bircher, Shamone Green, Isabell Duran, Vada Watt, and Traditions Hospice for the exceptional and compassionate care they provided to Mark.
A Celebration of Mark’s life will be held at Central Church, 1991 FM 158, College Station, Texas, on February 12, 2022, at 11 a.m. For those who wish to express sympathy, consider honoring Mark with a donation to the O. Mark Anthony ’73 Memorial Rugby Scholarship here or to Central church at centralbcs.org.
Mark joined Texas A&M Rugby his freshman year in 1969. At the 25th Anniversary of the club 25 years ago, as he introduced his friend and coach Roger Boos, he described that team with these words, "disciplined, a brotherhood, completely accepting, always learning and well-coached. We never quit till the final whistle and we had fun.” After graduating in '73, Mark continued to play with the team for over 10 years and also played two seasons with the Houston Heathens. Mark was selected often to the Texas RFU Select Side, as well as the Western RFU. He also tried out for the USA Eagles.
Mark was also one of the very early Texas A&M Rugby team members and was critical to the scrum, both in set pieces, rucks, and lineouts at the lock position.
Mark was the difference between playing offense and defense after lineouts and his excellence at Lock did not go unnoticed by the Texas and Western RFU Select Sides. Mark Anthony was also a fierce tackler and always made a difference in loose play, especially in rucks where his big rugby boots would often make the difference between winning and losing possession. Mark also provided terrific power pushes for scrum downs.
Mark was integral in the success of the ’74 National Championship Team and he was our father figure off the field in the late '70s to early ’80s. Mark Anthony set the tone before and during the match with his words and actions. As good as Mark Anthony was on the pitch, perhaps his biggest contributions were off the pitch, where he often hired rugby players in his commercial building business and taught them how to frame with metal studs and hang drywall. Mark made many donations behind the scenes to fund whatever needed to be funded for road trips, the team, and the club. His decades of leadership on and off the field were invaluable to Texas A&M and Old Maroon Rugby Football Clubs.
Mark was inducted into the Texas A&M Rugby Hall of Fame on March 24, 2018.
Mark’s tenure as a player is unprecedented; during his playing days, a player did not have to be enrolled in school. From his contributions to Texas A&M winning the ’74 Collegiate Rugby National Championship, through all the winning seasons of the early 1980s, Mark’s contributions on and off the pitch aided in the club’s success like no other during that time period.
We fondly referred to Mark Anthony as “Dad”.
Of his collegiate years of play, Mark often said, “never in life had I experienced the unconditional acceptance and respect that I received from my Aggie teammates. I knew that I had found my place.”
Mark, from all of us who had the pleasure to be on the pitch with you or know you, we love you.
Every year Old Maroon Rugby Football Club strives to award various Scholarships to deserving players of the Texas A&M Rugby Football Club for their outstanding grades, efforts, and contributions to the club. You have the opportunity to help these players in assisting with their semester and annual expenses such as books, tuition, housing, etc. while honoring the memory of a Fallen Aggie Rugger.
Below you can choose your giving level or enter your own as you wish. If you would like to make a donation to this Scholarship Fund of more than $5,000 or an Endowed Level of $25,000+ please contact us.
If you would like to save the ~3% fee of online processing you can make a check made out to "Old Maroon RFC" with "Mark Anthony Scholarship" in the memo and mail it to:
Old Maroon RFC
c/o Doug Chester
6312 Southern Cross Dr
College Station, TX 77845