Mark Goulson, age 73, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at Ossian Care Center, after a brief, acute illness, preceded by a lifetime of battling ailments that devastated his physical body but never his vast intellect.

No formal services are planned at this time.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials may go to the Decorah Volunteer Fire Department Foundation, 400 Claiborne Dr, "Fireman's Quarters," Decorah, Iowa 52101.

Mark was born and raised in Decorah, Iowa. He spent his youth roaming about the Flat, making minor mischief with his buddies and generally succeeding at being a boy. He graduated from Thomas Roberts Senior High with honors and some good baseball and football memories, then elected to pursue post-secondary education at a variety of institutions, ultimately settling on Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

There he met the love of his life, Kathleen Smith. The two were united in marriage on July 2, 1977. Mark graduated from Iowa State with a degree in English and a teaching certificate, whereupon he accepted a teaching position in Lakota, IA. He continued to root for the Cyclones his entire adult life, despite the fact that his filthy traitorous sons all graduated from the University of Iowa. (His daughter at least had the grace to attend the University of Northern Iowa.) Go ‘Clones.

After one year of teaching, coaching, and driving a school bus, Mark noped it out of there - because teaching is for suckers, and while it makes a great secondary income, it would not have adequately provided for the family he and Kathy hoped to have.

The couple moved to Decorah, where Mark entered into the Title & Abstract business with his father. Mark and Kathy soon welcomed a daughter, Emily, and three sons: Benjamin, Rolf, and Thomas.

In addition to parenting and providing for his ilk, Mark cultivated several hobbies throughout his adult life. He was a voracious reader, as well as an author. He wrote several YA novels and penned a comic entitled “Madame Buttfly” in which the title character’s superpower is the unique ability to travel around by bouncing on her generous backside while dealing with her idiot sons.

Mark’s creative pursuits didn’t stop at writing and drawing. He also dabbled in dollhouse and miniature barn construction, woodcarving, model car and airplane building, and arguably his favorite: collecting trains and developing his model railroad village.

For many years, Mark’s garden was the envy of the neighborhood, much to the consternation (and pride) of his wife, who was compelled to process every bit of the annual harvest. The family choked down garden produce throughout the season and well into winter each year.

A champion for children especially, Mark never hesitated to support and encourage family and friends. He was known to all as a man who loved to tell (or hear) a good story.

Mark is survived by his wife, Kathleen; a sister, Karen (Doug) Allen; a daughter, Emily (Jeremy) Barnes; three sons, Ben (Rachel) Goulson, Rolf (Jennifer) Goulson, and Tom Goulson; as well as six spoiled grandchildren and three very special young friends. He loved his many nieces and nephews, too. He is preceded in death by his parents, Roger and Jeane Goulson; an infant son, John; and his dear departed dogs, Rascal and Cocoa. May they all go for long walks on strong legs on the other side.