Every Picture tells a Story

Nita Mark & Pat Habkirk in the Studio, Wichita November 2024

Last November I was able interview Nita Mark and Pat Habkirk who were excited to have a chance to tell all about Anita Bryant’s visit there in 1978. I took Nita home after the interview and went carefully through her albums for old photos.

It wasn’t until I started working on the photos a month later that I began to see how profound one of the photos was from Nita’s childhood. It’s two pictures really, the family of four, and Nita.

The grouping is fascinating; the turned back, the paternal arms stretching only so far. One could draw a straight line. I called Nita to talk about it. I imagined the following scenario, which was true:

The Family had just returned home from the baby’s christening. Nita (already labeled a “tom-boy”) had stripped off her church clothes in favor of her baseball gear. One of the relatives at some point after that, thought to take a picture.

Nita had three children before meeting a woman. She automatically lost custody of them at that time but not their affection.

But her father came over to encourage her to move to Minnesota where she had “never ever been in her life.” “I didn’t go” she says, “but you can imagine what that did to our relationship.”

Above, Nita (green shirt, cool glasses) with the Softball team

LaNita (Nita) Mark: 1941-2025

On returning from the sneak peek at the Darl, Thursday, Dorothy and I received the news that Nita had died.

Rest in Peace Nita
You were a true warrior.