Mark J. Holdridge, age 53 of Blair, passed away Jan. 23, 2019, at the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha.

Mass of Christian burial will be held Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Blair. Visitation will be held Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at Campbell Aman Funeral Home in Blair with family present from 5 to 7 p.m. with a Vigil held at 7 p.m.

Mark was born in Aurora, Ill., on June 1, 1965. After his childhood in Illinois, Texas and Kansas, Mark joined the United States Air Force in 1987 and served as a staff sergeant on the B-52 bombers G and H models, serving for just over 11 years. On Sept. 5, 1992, he was united in marriage to Beth Bertsch.

There is so much to say about Mark but here are the high points: He was kind, a gentle husband, brother, uncle, friend, a gentleman, humble, strong and tall! Yes ma'am, yes sir, please and thank you, 'Thanks for coming in today', opening doors and serving those around him. All. The. Time.

He was a little quiet with a dry sense of humor that snuck in the conversation before you knew it and had everyone rolling. And then he was downright goofy! Oh, how he made us laugh! Anything was a prop … at any time … including the rubber chickens!

Mark loved music, the more complex and fuller the better, loved the intricacies of all mechanical devices and the absolute beauty of fine craftsmanship. This love of fine craftsmanship carried into his love of fine cars and food! He was our planner for future endeavors, my dreamer.

He was the go-to for opening packages requiring a sharp tool, teaching the beauty of not being in a hurry as to learn how to best complete the task and stay as safe as possible. Always prepared and with a backup plan.

Mark loved his new-found faith and found it to be rich and fulfilling, the most intricate and beautiful, bringing him peace when this journey got rocky.

Mark loved all the children, friends and family in our lives, the kiddos drawn to his curious behavior, never knowing when he may be so silly! We adults drawn to his deep knowledge of seemingly everything!

Mark will be missed so much! We continue on, knowing he went first so he could hold the doors open for us when we, too, reach our Heavenly goal.

Heaven has an angel now with, as a dear friend put it, "a wicked set of wings" created by the most intricate craftsman of all, our Lord God.

Yes Father!

#2 Funeral Leaflet

In Loving Memory of Mark John Holdridge

Born June 1, 1965 Aurora, Illinois; Entered Into Rest January 23, 2019, Omaha, Nebraska

Mass of Christian Burial 10:00AM Saturday, February 2, 2019 St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church, Blair, Nebraska. Officiating: Father James Netusil. Special Music by: Magdelaine “Maggz” Hendricks. Musical Selections: “How Great Thou Art”, “Make Me a Channel Of Your Peace”, “You Are Mine”, “There Are Many Rooms”

Final Resting Place: Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Blair, Nebraska.

Memorials may be directed to Heartland Greyhound Adoption, P.O. Box 342, Bondurant, IA, 50035

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home

~~~ Obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clipping on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Find a Grave Memorial # 196332322