Mark C. Gard

Mark C. Gard, 53, of Mason City, died Wednesday, April 19, 2006 at his home of natural causes. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Monday at the First United Methodist Church, 119 S. Georgia with Rev. Jim Stiles officiating. Interment will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Sunday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue and continue at the church one hour before the service. Memorials may be given to the Mark Gard Memorial Fund. Mark was born in Mason City on July 15, 1952, to Clifford and Mildred Gard. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1970, and did coursework at NIACC and Buena Vista University. He operated Gard Realty in Mason City for seven years. Mark had more than 20 years of experience in real estate in Iowa and Florida, and was a member of the National Association of Realtors, Iowa Association of Realtors, Mason City Multiple Listing Service and the Mason City Board of Realtors. He also was a hospice volunteer. As a high school student, Mark was elected to the National Honor Society and served as senior class president. But Mark took more pride in his achievements in real estate and the work he did with his hands. He owned and maintained several rental properties in Mason City. A talented and confident carpenter, he was often called upon by less-skilled friends and family to do building and repair projects. He acquired a love of the sea during his time in Florida had a growing collection of tall-mast ship models and other nautical memorabilia. Mark married Sally Sullivan, also a Mason City native, in Maui, Hawaii, on June 12, 1998. He is survived by his wife and her two children, Jordon and Brittany Seidel; sister, Cheryl Gard of Los Angeles, and her two children, Alexander and Oliver Gard-Murray; nieces, Cris Picht and her husband Shane, Lori Leonard and Louis Reeves; brother-in-law, David Leonard and his wife Toni; uncle, Roy Schumacher; great nephew, Koi Leonard-Reeves; mother-in-law, Carolyn Sullivan of Plattsburg, Mo.; brothers-in-law, Michael Sullivan of Los Angeles, Rick Sullivan of Chicago, and Steve Sullivan and his wife Victoria and son Harry of Ames; three dachshunds, Samson, Libby and Millie. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Jacqueline and Judy; his parents; and his father-in-law, Richard Sullivan.

Visitation:
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on April 23, 2006 (map/driving directions) 4:00 PM to 4:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on April 20, 2006 (map/driving directions)

Service:
10:30 AM at on April 24, 2006 (map/driving directions)