Mark, Edward

Edward H. Mark
Sept. 23, 1926-April 23, 2008

Edward H. Mark, 81, of Buchanan, MI, and a longtime Niles, MI, businessman, died following a brief illness on Wednesday, April 23, 2008, in Inwood Hills Estates, South Bend, IN.

Mr. Mark was born on September 23, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey, to Louis and Julia (Klein) Mark. He graduated from high school in Newark and then from Newark College of Engineering. He had lived in this area since 1961.

Mr. Mark managed several manufacturing firms before founding his own business, Packard Industries in Niles in 1966. His business principles included excellence in engineering and quality in production, the same as the Packard automobile company which he had admired. In 1996, Ed passed Packard Industries on to the next generation.

Mr. Mark also collected Packard vehicles. At his retirement, the collection represented the entire history and variety of Packards, and was remarkable for the number of vehicles and the "showroom condition" in which they were maintained.

On April 26, 1952, in Newark, he married the former Donna M. Tiemann, who survives. Mr. Mark is also survived by their 10 children, Catherine (Alfredo Torano) Mark of Spain, Mary Mark-Herbach and Louis Mark, both of Michigan, Steve Mark of Illinois, Julie Mark of Colorado, John (Vera) Mark of Illinois, Karen Mark of Indiana, Daniel (Carole) Mark of Wyoming, Jacob (Jill) Mark of Indiana and Thomas Mark of Colorado; nine grandchildren, Raquel, Francisco, Michael, Lane, Elias, Angelina, Sarah, Sophie and Samuel.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Melvin Mark.

The funeral services for Edward H. Mark will be at 11 a.m. today, April 28, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Monsignor Eugene Sear of Saint Joseph, Michigan, officiating, followed by committal at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. The family received relatives and friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home.

Contributions in memory of Edward H. Mark may be made to the Mayo Clinic Simulation Center, Rochester, MN

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown