Mark Cecil Bierscheid

Mark C. Bierscheid, age 82, longtime Watertown businessman, died peacefully on Tuesday afternoon, March 11, 2014 in the Jenkins Living Center, where he had lived since July of 2012, at Watertown with family at his side after a courageous battle due to Parkinson's Disease. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 16, 2014 from 3-5 PM with a Liturgical Wake Service/Rosary beginning at 5PM all in the Immaculate Conception Church at Watertown. Visitation will continue on Monday morning after 9AM also in the Church. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, March 17, 2014 at 10:30 AM in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Watertown with The Reverend Paul Rutten celebrating. Music will be provided by Danielle Holmquist-Holida as organist. The Immaculate Conception Funeral Choir and Greg Furness will provide special music. Casketbearers will be Zach, Curtis, Cooper, Sawyer and Lucas Bierscheid and Nick Booth. Alicia & Jenna Booth and Miranda Bierscheid will be gift bearers with Parker Johnston and Brennan Gabriel as servers. Burial with a flag folding presentation by the South Dakota Army National Honor Guard will follow at the St. Mary's Cemetery at Watertown. Everyone is invited to return to the Immaculate Conception Parish Hall for a dinner following the burial. He was born Mark Cecil Bierscheid on March 2, 1932 at Watertown, the son of Cecil and Bernice (Dalton) Bierscheid. He attended school at Estelline and then the family moved to Watertown where he graduated in 1951. While in high school he was very active in sports. Mark then attended the St. John's University at Collegeville, MN where he majored in business. Mark returned to Watertown where he met LaDonna Hart, who was working at Midland National Life Ins., and the couple married on August 9, 1958 in the Immaculate Conception Church at Watertown. Mark served his country in the US Army and was discharged in 1963 from the Army Reserve. He worked for Swift & Company in Watertown until they closed in 1967 and then was employed at Dick's Sports Shop in Watertown and later became a partner in Roy's Sport Shop. Mark will be remembered by many area schools athletic directors as the person from Dick's/Roy's that called on them and for many years hosted the Hospitality Room at the Watertown Civic Arena - you might say, the "official greeter" to the arena at sporting events throughout the years! He loved visiting with area coaches, officials and supporters of high school athletics, always having a story to tell. Besides being on the Sports & Recreation Committee for the Watertown Area Chamber, he was also active in other areas in his community being a member of the Watertown Elks Club, the Quarterback Club and the Watoma Club. He worked the Watoma Relays for many years and a few years ago was named Honorary Chairperson of that event and had also had the event held in his honor. Mark had been honored as a member of the Watertown High School Hall of Fame. He enjoyed fishing and golfing over the years with family members and many others. He has been a long-time member of the Immaculate Conception Parish, was a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus and also for many years was part of the Rosary team that led the nightly prayer on KWAT radio. Preceding him in death were his parents and a brother, Merle Bierscheid and sister-in-law, Rhodine Jenson. Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife LaDonna "Donna" Bierscheid of Watertown, children, Rhonda (Perry) Booth of Sioux Falls, Dan (Sandra) Bierscheid of LaCenter, WA and Eugene (Kathy) Bierscheid of Watertown; 9 grandchildren, Alicia, Jenna, and Nick Booth, Curtis, Miranda, and Sawyer Bierscheid and Zach, Cooper, and Lucas Bierscheid. He also leaves siblings, Joan (Gene) Furness of Clark, Janice Bierscheid of Watertown and Bob (Joan) Bierscheid of Roseville, MN, and nieces and nephews and a host of friends. Furness Funeral Home at Clark is serving the family where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com