MARTENS, Mark (1952-2019)

MARTENS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/27/2019 at 16:29:58

Mark Martens
(1952 - June 1, 2019)

Services for Mark Martens, 67, who passed away Saturday, June 1, 2019 in Des Moines, will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, 2019, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Martensdale, IA with burial following in the Linn Grove Cemetery, Rural Norwalk, IA.
Mark was the oldest son of Philip and Martha Martens and grew up on the family farm in Martensdale, Iowa along with his three brothers and sister. Mark attended school in Martensdale-St. Marys school district and graduated from Martensdale-St. Marys High School in 1970. Mark continued his education at Southwest Community College, Wartburg College and graduate studies at the University of Northern Iowa.
Mark became a Rigger, and traveled across the United States setting up lighting and sound equipment at numerous concert venues, including The Iowa State Fair, the Civic Center and Veterans Auditorium, Five Flags Center in Dubuque. During the Iowa Caucuses, Mark would be busy setting up stages for presidential candidate’s campaigns rallies. Mark started his own company, Blackhawk Lighting on Dean Ave in Des Moines. It would be hard to find any member of Mark’s family who did not work for him at some point while the company was in business.
Mark was an avid reader and especially enjoyed reading about history. He was a big fan of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit. Mark was a very good listener which drew people to him when he would walk into a room. Mark was popular with his nieces and nephews at family gatherings, and at Christmas time would buy them presents that were sure to annoy their parents.
He is survived by his mother, Martha Martens; siblings, Ernest Martens, Keith Martens, Wayne (Karen) Martens, Alice (Howard) Kulzer; many nieces and nephews; friends, Angie Gill, Jerel Merical, Mark Edmunds and Mark Davitt. He is preceded in death by his father, Philip Martens.
Visitation will be held 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 4 at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Memorials may be given to the St. Paul Lutheran Church in his name.
This memorial is provided by Overton Funeral Home, 501 West Ashland Ave., Indianola, Iowa, http://www.overtonfuneral.com/