Mark H. Burgdorf

Mark Howard Burgdorf was born August 28, 1951 to Howard & Sherry (Jordahl) Burgdorf in Urbana, Illinois. In 1952 the family moved to the Twin Cities, where his parents fostered his intellect, artistic ability, and love of nature. He attended St. Olaf College for three years but received his real education from life. Mark moved to Heivly Street in Decorah in 1973. He lived on Franklin Street, in Highlandville, and was the champion of Winnebago for more than 15 years; he resided there until his death on January 23 of natural causes. He died at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Saint Marys Campus in Rochester, MN. Mark was a silversmith and consummate artist with a creative brilliance and a bit of a self-destructive streak. His interests included rocks, fossils, agates, gems, metals, polarized lenses, molecular structures of various materials, the Upper Iowa River, Lake Superior, Frida Kahlo, crows, the other birds of Iowa, historical preservation, female aviators, cameras, photos, clocks, postcards, stamps, coins, spontaneous art, found objects, plants, roots, stalks, puffballs, morels, coffee, NPR, public TV, politics, religion, his family, and everyone else’s family. Mark is preceded in death by his mother, Sherry Burgdorf, and his great-aunt Julia. He is survived by his son Owen Burgdorf-Hibbs, with whom he shared the ability to see the ordinary as extraordinary, his father Howard Burgdorf, brothers Eric (Kathy) Burgdorf, Andrew (Sherilyn) Burgdorf, friend Sherry Berg, friend Nan Hibbs, nieces Esther, Rebekah, Hannah, and Amanda and nephew Michael, and many, many friends. A memorial gathering to honor Mark will be held at McCaffrey’s Dolce Vita in Decorah on Tuesday, February 3 from 4:00-7:00pm with sharing of memories at 6:00pm. Memorials may be given to a fund for Owen Burgdorf-Hibbs c/o Decorah Bank & Trust, 202 E. Water St., Decorah, IA 52101.