July 21, 1942 - February 19, 2025
Rev. Dr. Mark Edwin Holmer, 82, of Oak Park, Ill., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Berwyn, Ill.
Mark was born on July 21, 1942, in Creston, to Rev. J. Erik and Anita Rae Holmer. He grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. and Moline, Ill., where his father was serving congregations. He graduated from Moline High School in 1960. He attended college at Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill. and graduated with a BA in History in 1964. He met the love of his life, Linnea Allen, while they were both attending Augustana College. He attended Augustana Seminary and married Linnea in July of 1966, prior to going on internship to Salem Lutheran Church in Bridgeport, Conn. At the end of the internship they moved to Chicago, Ill., where Augustana Seminary had merged into Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago (LSTC). Mark received his Master of Divinity from LSTC in May of 1968.
Mark received his first call to All Saints Lutheran Church in Fox Lake, Ill. He served there until the fall of 1973. He next served at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Davenport for 27 years. He saw the membership grow and oversaw two large building projects while he was there. He taught many people through Sunday School classes, Word and Witness, Confirmation and First Communion. Mark took many youth to Confirmation Camp and guided many Interns into the Lutheran Ministry. During his tenure at St. Matthew, he entered into the multi-summer doctorate program through LSTC. He graduated with his Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching in May of 1996.
Mark’s next call took him to First Lutheran Church in Algona from 2001 – 2007. He continued his love of preaching and teaching here, guided four more interns and oversaw a building project. He retired from the Lutheran ministry in August of 2007, and promptly became the part-time Episcopal Priest at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Algona where he served for the next 15 years.
While in Algona, he served as the chaplain for the Algona Hospice Team. Mark also enjoyed working with the monthly gathering of pastors, CROP walk and RAGBRAI committees.
Kiwanis was also a big part of his life. He started with the Davenport Kiwanis club where he often was the song leader. He filled many roles at this club. When he moved to Algona he joined the Algona Morwens club. Through his membership there, as part of the Nebraska/Iowa District, he became the Lt. Governor and then the Governor of the District. He enjoyed attending the International Conventions. Mark loved the annual Peanut Sales and other annual fundraising activities. He was part of starting the Algona Aktion Club when he saw the great need for a service club for challenged adults.
Mark was an avid traveler. Mark traveled to over 80 countries, some multiple times, in order to see the world. He was always a fan of visiting Lutheran and Christian sites, bringing bibles to India, visiting hospitals and schools, and handing out small toys to children that he saw. He made sure that his family developed a love of travel as well.
Mark started showing signs of dementia in 2020. While his memory was fading, he still was an upbeat and loving man who was “Healthy, Wealthy and Wise.” Mark moved to American House in Oak Park, Ill. in July of 2023, so he and Linnea would be closer to family. He was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Riverside, Ill.
Mark is survived by his wife Linnea; daughters, Krista (Wes) Lane and Kaia (Tim) Holt; five grandchildren: Anita (Isaac), Jacob, Erika, Elias and Maxton; two great-grandchildren, Sylas and Linnea; brother Paul (Christine) Holmer, brother-in-law Samuel Lewis, two nieces and two nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents J. Erik and Anita Rae Holmer and his sister, Shari Holmer-Lewis.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 7 at 10 a.m. at Ascension Lutheran Church, 400 Nuttall Road, Riverside, Ill. The Family asks that Memorial contributions be made to Lutheran World Relief (give.lwr.org, Lutheran World Relief PO Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21297-1061) or Algona’s Hospice of the Heartland at KRHC.