Richard Mulligan was there the day Mark Amspacher wrangled in the 46-pound fish that hangs on the wall of his downtown Main Street diner, 212 E. Main St., Norman.
"Mark's a pretty big guy, and that fish was pretty big in his arms," said Mulligan, friend of Amspacher's for 15 years, between laughs, relishing memories of hunting and fishing with Amspacher and digging through The Diner's pancakes and bacon as Amspacher, an avid fisherman, updated him on the fishing status of Lake Thunderbird.
Amspacher, owner since 1996 of the popular downtown eatery that wraps a line out the door by 8 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, died Monday in Norman Regional Hospital. He was 56.
A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Friday at McFarlin Methodist Church.
Amspacher is best known for his award-winning chili, which won the state's chili championship cookoff twice.
Focusing on old-school staples like omelets, pancakes and burgers, his diner -- decorated in a photo montage of Amspacher's fishing adventures -- won national attention when it was featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-in and Dives" in November 2009.
And for Norman attorney Ben Benedum, who's parents used to shop at the Amspacher family's old grocery store on Lindsey Street, Norman, no one knew how to fluff a scrambled egg like Amspacher.
"His scrambled eggs are probably the best ever. He did something different to them. Put water or something in them. He had the magic touch," said Benedum, thoughts lingering on the eggs' custard, buttery lightness accompanied with bacon.
When asked, his friends don't hesitate to describe Amspacher as a kindhearted, sincere man.
"The most gentle giant you've ever met. That's Mark. He's got a heart of gold," Mulligan said.
Benedum, who had a hard time settling on one memory of Amspacher -- there are many -- agreed.
"He had a lot of good friends and a large following, which I think says a lot about him," Benedum said.
Long-time friend Doug Burns, a Norman attorney who's known Amspacher for about 20 years, said the diner owner stirred a passion for fishing that bubbled over his love for cooking, adding that he was continuously casting his rod for the next big catch.
"He had a gift, said Burns, who owns a ranch near Woodward that Amspacher and a group of friends frequented for turkey hunting. He was one of the finest fishermen I ever knew. He caught fish when other people couldn't. I don't know how he did it. Maybe he thought like a fish."
Barry Bolton, chief of fisheries for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and friend of Amspacher's for at least 30 years, said Amspacher frequently called him, searching for the scoop on which fish were biting.
"When we lose friends, when we lose people, it changes things, but he can't be replaced," Benedum said.
Because Mark expressed his love through food and cooking, his family has asked friends to send memorials in his memory to Norman's Food -- Shelter for Friends, 104 W. Comanche St., Norman, OK 73069.
Send condolences online at http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/Obituaries.htm.
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