Mark Herbert Hougen

December 23, 1943 – May 8, 2020
Age 76 of Mounds View. Mark’s message to everyone in his life: I’m returning to nature like everything else. I was lucky to have the best wife and soulmate with Terry; great parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and in-laws, wonderful friends and companions and acquaintances over all the years. I lived in the best of times in a great country. Thanks to all for such a great life!! Mark’s family: wife Terry, father Melvin (101 years old), mother Alta (passed away at 100), brothers Myles (Karen) and Murray (Beth), sisters Merideth Hale (Jack), Marcy Engstrom (Jay), Melanie, deceased (Fred), and many nephews and nieces. About Mark: Mark grew up and lived in the Twin Cities area his entire life. He made lifetime friends from his early days in Northeast Minneapolis to his later years in Mounds View. His friends from Edison HS were good friends his entire life. Mark worked at Gross Golf Course, went to school and graduated from the U of M and then worked for himself for most of his life. Mark was a marvelous carpenter and wood worker. He enjoyed fixing things up, remodeling, painting and helping folks as a general contractor in their construction projects. Mark used to joke that he had a great boss who gave him Fridays off to play hockey, golf or tennis. Mark was a consummate organizer of sports and games for family and friends. His car was always full of sporting equipment that he pulled out at every opportunity. He included everyone in his games and was the first person to teach his nephews and nieces the rules and subtleties of games and sports. A celebration will be held at a later date. (Published in the Star Tribune on May 17, 2020)