William "Roger" Mark, 77, of Wellsburg, Iowa, passed away at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital Long Term Care Unit on Saturday, January 7, 2012. Per Roger's request, his body has been cremated. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 14th, 11:00 A.M. at the Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Grundy Center. Inurnment will be private. To leave a message of condolence for the family, please visit our website at www.abelsfuneralhomes.com
William Roger Mark, born September 19, 1934, was the elder of twin sons born to Howard and Gladys (Nuzum) Mark in Truro, Iowa. He graduated from Casey High School and attended Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where he was a member of the Kappa Theta Psi fraternity. Roger served in the Iowa Air National Guard out of Des Moines, IA for eight years. During the early 50's, Roger earned a commercial pilot's license and did some flying. He married Charlotte Anne Mitchell on August 24, 1958 in Fairfield, IA. Roger worked for the Coca Cola Company and the Colonial Bread Company in Des Moines, IA in his early work years. He went to work for his father's hardware store in Casey, Iowa for a while and then went back to sales for a chemical company. In 1975, he purchased a plastic painting business in Wellsburg, IA and then changed to electrical work. Roger wired the Wellsburg Community Building when it was built. He later worked for the corn pack plant in Ackley, IA in maintenance before moving to Dallas, TX in 1985, to join his cousin at Long Mile rubber. He changed to Dalfort Aviation in Dallas, TX and worked there for 12 years in the maintenance department doing electrical work as well as being in charge of the hazardous materials disposal system before retiring in 2000. Roger then returned to Iowa. Roger was a member of the Eldora United Methodist Church. He enjoyed golfing, evening television, coffee uptown with the guys, gardening and running his John Deere riding lawn mower.
He is survived by his wife Charlotte; children Juanita Kay Truelove of Farmers Branch, TX, Bryan (Cortney) Mark of De Soto, IA and Scott (Dung My Pham) Mark of Lancaster, CA; 7 grandchildren, Christopher, Jacqueline, Noel, Jonathan and Austin Mark, Colleen Brandon and Melissa Sholley; 3 great-grandchildren Korbyn and Jordan Sholley and Skylar Brandon; a brother James Roland (Karen) Mark of Bondurant, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents Howard & Gladys Mark.