Mark N. Wilmes

Mark Nicholas Wilmes Sr. of Sioux City passed away Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007, surrounded by his family friends and angels of the Lord.

Services will be 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Sioux City, with the Revs. Lawrence McCarty, Timothy Hogan and Gary Snyder officiating the life of a wonderful man. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 3 to 8:30 p.m. today, with the family present 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., a rosary at 7 p.m. and a vigil service at 7:30 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Mark was born at home on Dec. 14, 1944, to the Luxembourg family of Frank and Virginia (Goetzinger) Wilmes, in Remsen, Iowa. He was the baby of the family with Mary and Mike being his older siblings. The family later moved to Oyens, Iowa, where he had the run of the little town as a young boy. He told great stories of his childhood and dog, Snookey. The family later moved to Sioux City. He attended Catholic schools and graduated from Bishop Heelan in 1963. His career in the transportation business began when he was very young at Hagen Inc. He was known as a good truck driver and drove truck for more than 20 years. After leaving the road, he became a transportation broker and worked for several companies over the years, but was with one of his favorite companies, 3 Rivers Transportation, until his death.

He was married to his soul mate and the love of his life, Pam. Together, they had five great kids, 10 grandkids and a great-granddaughter, whom he loved with all his heart and was very proud of every one of them. He was a devoted to his mom, Virginia, and went to the nursing home daily to visit her before his illness and later as often as he could. He also was very close to his sister and brother, talking to them almost every day.

Mark had a beautiful singing voice and could whistle like nobody's business. He also loved to dance and his feet were always tapping away to the music. His day just couldn't start without having breakfast every morning with his coffee buddies before going off to work. He liked to keep up with the Cubs, the Bears and also enjoyed NASCAR every weekend on the television. In the past, he belonged to the Sioux City 4 Wheelers and helped transport nurses to the local hospital during winter blizzards. He loved taking Cody, the family dog, for rides and trips for ice cream cones. One memory the kids always talk about was some of his culinary tastes, slapping a piece of lunchmeat on a chocolate fried roll along with a diet Coke was breakfast or snack, they giggled about. A jokester by nature, our Mark was known to fill a room with laughter and fun. Always cracking jokes and keeping everything light hearted, even in the midst of the battle of his life. We always looked to Mark for positive and

funny input when things got rough.

Our Mark had a soft heart he tried to cover up by having a somewhat gruff voice. He worked hard all of his life, treated people with respect and had a concern for everybody but himself. He was a great friend to everyone and always felt the need to pitch in and help anyone if necessary.

His faith in God never wavered, not even in trying times and his faith is something all of us can learn from. Because of his faith, he has left us with great tools to survive without him and many wonderful memories. Every time he talked to our kids, he always told them he loved them and how proud he was of them. And the legacy he leaves behind is something money can not buy, his love for all of us, will be forever in our hearts.

Forever grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Pam; his children, Mark Jr. of Mount Ayr, Iowa, Shelly and Ed Rotert of Mount Ayr, Jodi and Shane Fiscus, Ryan Wilmes and Matthew Wilmes of Sioux City; his grandchildren, Cole Wilmes, Jessica and Lucan Trigges, Anthony, Alex and Amanda Rotert, Blake Meister, Teegin Meister, Nick Meister, Brady Fiscus and Katelynn Wilmes; his great-granddaughter, Lauren; his mom, Virginia Wilmes of Sioux City; a sister, Mary Wilmes of Sioux City; a brother, Mike and Louise Wilmes of Sioux City; nieces and nephews, Michael (Gina) Wilmes, Chris (Kate) Wilmes, Kevin (Susan) Wilmes, Lisa (Dennis) Haney, Theresa (John) Van Eldik, Laurie (David) Benson and families; and in-laws, Debbie and Steve Lyman of Sioux City, Mindy and Barney Hill of Omaha, John Ross of Sioux City and their families.

He was preceded in death by his father, Frank; and many aunts and uncles of the Goetzinger family.

Pallbearers will be family members, Michael Wilmes, Chris Wilmes, Kevin Wilmes, Blake Meister, Anthony Rotert and Alex Rotert.

Here's to you Mark, we miss you and can't wait until we can be together again..... to laugh..... to dance..... and to love..... P.S. I love you too, Baby.