Mark A. Wanless

Mark A. Wanless died on Thursday evening, January 28, 2010 at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, as a result of liver and kidney failure. He had been in remission from Leukemia since 1999. He was 52 years old. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, February 3, 2010, at Fjelstul Funeral Home Chapel in Decorah, IA by Rev. Aaron Fleming with burial in Bluffton Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 P.M., Tuesday, February 2, at Fjelstul Funeral Home, with sharing of memories at 7:00 P.M., and on Wednesday after 8:00 AM. Mark Anthony Wanless was born November 11, 1957, the son of Donald L. Wanless and Elaine (Tollefson) Wanless in Cedar Rapids, IA. He was baptized at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids in December of 1957. He attended school in Solon, IA from 1968-1972 and then briefly at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids before venturing out to do some traveling on his own. He landed in New Orleans, LA where he met and married his wife, Patricia Fille. To this union two children were born: Stacey Renee and Mark Daniel Wanless. After moving to Cherokee Village, AR, he went back to school and got his GED from Arkansas High School on May 10, 1993, and then went on to get his Associate of Applied Science Degree in Industrial Electronics Technology at Gateway Technical College on December 12, 1997. Mark enjoyed working for Midwest Janitorial in Iowa City until his condition recently prevented him from doing so. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and dabbling in wood working projects. He was a strong and faithful Christian who belonged to New Life Church in Wellman, Iowa for the last several years of his life. His faith in God, a strong will to live and a good sense of humor carried him through many difficulties with his health. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald on October 2, 2001. Surviving family members include his mother, Elaine Wanless of Coralville, Iowa; his wife Patricia Fille Wanless and children, Stacey and Mark Wanless of Dearborn, MI; sister Roxie (Bob) Mitchell of Iowa City, IA, sister Rhonda Wanless of West Memphis, AR, and sister Gaylene (Joe) Turner of Dallas, Texas; nieces and nephews: Candy (Rob) Axeen of Iowa City, IA, Chris (Jauna) Kerf of Dubuque, IA, Kelly Kerf of Cedar Rapids, IA, Angela (Steve) Ray of Leachville, AR, Josh (Caitlin) Van Dolah of Frisco, TX, and Jaymes Van Dolah of The Colony, TX, BJ (Crystal) Turner of Arlington, TX, Krystal Turner of Greenville, TX and Alicia (Brandon) Slater of Euless, TX.