Mark E. Bader, of Eldridge, passed away from ALS on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at his residence; his wife of 42 years by his side playing his favorite Beatles station.
A memorial service to celebrate his life was held on Sunday, March 26, at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf. Memorials may be made to the River Bend Food Bank, the ALS Association Iowa Chapter or to the North Lakeland Discovery Center, Manitowish Waters, Wis.
Mark was born Nov. 2, 1957, in St. Ann, Mo., the youngest son of Charles and Patricia (Alexander) Bader. He was raised in Mendota, Ill.
He met Julie A. Drennan at Danville Junior College in 1977, and after graduating from Bradley University, married her on July 26, 1980, in Bismarck, Ill.
They have three children, Erin (Randy) Ewoldt of Savoy, Ill., Laura (Paul) Connell of Bloomington, Minn., and Adam (Steph) Bader of Ankeny.
Mark began his 38½ year career at John Deere in 1980 in Davenport, then Dubuque, before receiving his MBA at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Afterwards he moved to Moline, Alpharetta, Ga., and Waterloo, before retiring at John Deere Headquarters in Moline.
He loved traveling with family, seeing live music and spending as much time as possible with his six grandchildren, especially at his cabin in Winchester, Wis.
Mark is survived by his wife, Julie; his three children and their spouses; his grandchildren, Isaac, Luke, Josephine, Penelope, Claire and Henry; his sisters, Margaret Beetz, Port Charlotte, Fla., Barb (Steve) Schmitt, Mendota, Ill.; his brother, Jim; his in-laws, Karen Drennan and Gerald (Nancy) Drennan, Troy (Jana) Drennan and Kristi (Jim) Wagle, all of Danville, Ill., and Jim (Sandy) Nern of Somonauk, Ill.; and beloved nieces and nephews.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents; his sister-in-law, Lori Nern; and his nephew, Matthew Beetz.
Online condolences may be shared with Mark’s family by visiting his obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.
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