Mark Foutch Collection, 1935-2000 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Dr. Mark R. Foutch (1922-2002) was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on July 22, 1922. The son of Mark R. (sr.) and Grace Wormood Foutch, he began his music studies at an early age. He attended Springfield, Illinois schools as a child and eventually received his optometry degree in 1947 from Monroe College of Optometry.  He was a World War II veteran and practiced optometry in Central Illinois for his entire career.

Foutch played in various professional and community bands around the United States before forming his own commercial ensemble, "The Mark Foutch Brass Band", which he led from 1954 to 1977. The band was based in Champaign, Illinois and performed concerts in the the style of the John Philip Sousa Band. In addition he served as the director of the Ansar Temple Shrine Jazz Band out of Springfield, Illinois.  Foutch died on November 6, 2002 and was buried in Champaign, Illinois' Mount Hope Cemetery.