Mark Owen Rousseau Sr

Mark Owen Rousseau Sr., 86, died on October 31, 2026. He was born on April 5, 1940, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Richard J. and Wilma C. Rousseau. His life was shaped by family, teaching, music, travel, and a lasting curiosity about the world around him.

Mark was married to Marion F. Pruss for 53 years and was the father of Mark Owen Rousseau Jr. He was a proud grandfather to Mark III, Alex, Eric, and Julia, and a great-grandfather to Simon and Dani. He loved having his grandchildren visit him in Omaha, a tradition he called "the Omaha treatment." He had a gift for drawing them into thoughtful conversations, taking their ideas seriously and talking about meaningful things in ways they could enjoy, even when they were young.

Travel gave each grandchild a special memory with a grandparent. Mark III cruised the Danube River with his grandfather; Alex tracked migrating wolves in Yellowstone with him; Eric took a Mississippi River cruise with him; and Julia traveled to Iceland with her grandmother, Marion. Several family trips also took Mark and Marion, together with their grandchildren, to London to see plays in the West End.

Mark and his son shared adventures of their own. In 1982, they spent a month and a half in Europe, based in Paris. In 1990, they rafted the Colorado River together. Mark later returned to the river for another rafting trip with his three grandsons. He also enjoyed playing euchre and cribbage with his grandchildren, creating more memories together around the card table.

Mark's love of learning led him to Indiana University for his undergraduate studies and to the University of North Carolina, where he earned a Ph.D. in sociology. He taught sociology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha for more than 40 years and served for a time as chair of the department. He was also the author of Regionalism and Regional Devolution in Comparative Perspective.

Mark was proud of his French heritage and spoke fluent French. He remained involved with the Alliance Française in Omaha into his seventies. He loved traveling, visiting China, Japan, Egypt, Peru, and Turkey, as well as France and other parts of Europe many times. Music was another lasting interest, ranging from classical music to the Beatles. He especially enjoyed sharing classical music with his sister Elaine, a classical pianist.

Mark is survived by his wife, Marion; his son, Mark; his grandchildren, Mark III, Alex, Eric, and Julia; his great-grandchildren, Simon and Dani; and his sisters, Elaine Rousseau and Joyce Clancy.

His family will remember him in the games they played, the trips they took, the conversations he started, the music he shared, and the Omaha visits he made special.

The family is deeply grateful to the staff of Legato Living at Indian Hills and Suncrest Hospice for the compassionate care they gave Mark.