Burmeister, Mark A.

Mark Alan Burmeister

Sunrise Nov. 2, 1958

Sunset April 23, 2012

Mark Alan Burmeister of Tipton, formerly of Lost Nation, passed away peacefully at the home of his parents, Virgil and Haidi Burmeister of Lost Nation; he was 53. A Mass in celebration of his life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 27, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tipton. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Fry Funeral Home. Burial will be in the St. Mary's Cemetery, Tipton.

Mark was born to Virgil and Haidi Burmeister on Nov. 2, 1958, at Jackson County Public Hospital in Maquoketa. He attended and graduated from Lost Nation Community School where he participated in baseball and basketball. Mark married Barbara Barnette on March 17, 1984; they later divorced. They had three children, Brandon of Tipton, and Rachel and Ryan of Davenport. Mark worked for the River Valley Co-op in Lost Nation and then for the Cedar County Co-op in Tipton for 15 years, until having to leave employment because of ill health. Mark moved to Tipton eight years ago which he called home. He belonged to Tipton Fire Department and St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Mark is survived by his three children, his parents, three grandchildren who were the loves of his life, Skylar and Natalie Burmeister and Sadi Kellenberger; Skylar's mother, Yvette Larson; former wife, Barbara Barnette; siblings, Scott (Cris) Burmeister of Oxford Junction, Paul Burmeister of Lost Nation, Phillip (Laurie) Burmeister of DeWitt, Carolyn (Stuart) Proesch of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and Julie (Tom) Pleiman of Maineville, Ohio; aunt Marcella Gustafson of Clinton, and aunt Rosie Miller Bennett of Marion; and cousins, nieces and nephews.

There's a saying “It isn't how many years you live, it's how you live those years.” Mark worked hard, respected others, enjoyed being on the fire department, helping others and had faith in his Lord.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Thomas Carlisle, his nurses, Cynthia West, LISW of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics & the Jackson County Hospice of Maquoketa for all their good care, Father Greg Steckel and Father Hitch for their prayers and visits, his firemen friends who showed concern for his health, which led to the discovery of his cancerous brain tumor, and fellow employees at Cedar County Co-op for their support and understanding.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St. Mary's Catholic Church or the Tipton Fire Department.

Mark was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Leo and Sarah Burmeister; maternal grandparents, Alfred and Frida Von Essensl, and three uncles.

Online condolences for Mark's family may be left at .

Published in The Gazette April 25, 2012.