Herbert “Herb” Marks of Mooresville, N.C., better known as Pops, peacefully entered eternal life on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at his home. He was one of the toughest, most hardworking men we’ve ever known.
Herb was born March 31, 1936, in Deerfield, Mich., to the late Elwin and Elsie Ahlemann Marks. He spent his childhood in Michigan, and after graduating from Morenci High School, he married his high school sweetheart, Jan, on April 27, 1957. His love of showing cattle in 4-H led him to showing beef cattle for Mahogany Farms of Williamston, Mich. He then worked for Premier Beef Cattle in various management positions in three different states, which led him and his family across the country. They made Highmore, S.D., home in 1972 and lived there for 26 years. Herb loved farming and ranching and was passionate about raising high-quality beef cattle. He was a talented cattleman and was widely respected by beef producers throughout the country. While in Highmore, he made many lifelong friends while working for Premier and then while working at Do It Best Lumbar Yard.
Herb and Jan retired in 1998 and moved to Mooresville to be closer to their grandchildren. Once they got settled in North Carolina, he was asked to assist with odds and ends in order to help get the new hospital ready to open. He went on to work at this temporary job in plant operations at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center for a mere 17 more years before retiring a second time at 80 years old. He loved seeing so many people each day, and made wonderful friends during his time there. A talented craftsman, he could usually be found in his garage building furniture or working around the shop and fixing something at Southeast Turf. Herb was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church and served on the church councils of several different congregations. Herb greatly enjoyed working with young people and volunteered many hours as a 4-H leader, FFA supporter, and many other community groups and organizations. Herb was also a proud member of the Stumptown Tractor Club in North Carolina. He loved displaying his restored John Deere tractors at area tractor shows and pulling the Boy Scouts in the Mooresville Christmas Parade each year. Herb was a devoted member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, and was very passionate about his involvement with their mission church, Living Waters Church in Cherokee, N.C. He frequently visited bringing donations of artificial turf for those in need, and was recently honored for his generosity that impacted so many.
Herb was welcomed into Heaven by the love of his love, Jan, whom he missed terribly the past six years. He was also preceded in death by his parents, brother William (Mildred) Marks; sister Leola (Wesley) Hunt; and nephew Bradley Marks.
Left to remember him always are his three sons, Todd (Terry) Marks of Harrisburg, S.D., Gregg (Dana) Marks of Bristol, Tenn., and Scott (Marie) Marks of Mooresville; and grandchildren Jaycee (Bobby) Dedmon of Mooresville, Trevor (Tiffany) Marks of Catawba, N.C., and Tregg (Leigha) Marks of Stanley, N.C. He also leaves behind one great- grandson, Riggs Dedmon, who brought him so much joy over the past five months, along with his brother, Stanley (Judy) Marks, sister-in-law Carole (Joseph) Ignarski, and many nieces and nephews.
We know he is in Heaven fixing everything, and making sure no one throws away an item that can be recycled. He had a gift fo turning something old into new again. We will miss your handlebar mustache, belly laughs, knowledge about everything, and stories about the good old days.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, December 18, 2021, at 11 a.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, with a memorial service immediately following at 1 p.m. Pastor Vern Kinard will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County, or St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Mooresville. The family wishes to thank the Joe and Andrea Nemechek family for their friendship and Marie Parker for her daily care over the past eight months.
Cavin-Cook Funeral Home, Mooresville, is serving the Marks family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.