Mark A. Beckman, 78, of Dubuque, formerly of Peosta, Iowa, died Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Stonehill Health Center, Dubuque.

Mark's family and friends are encouraged to attend a celebration of his life at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at Happy's Place, 2323 Rockdale Road. Food will be served from 2 to 3 p.m. A private visitation will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, at Reiff Funeral Home in Peosta, 894 Peosta St., with a Mass to follow at St. John the Baptist Church, 235 Peosta St. A private interment of ashes will be held at St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Centralia.

Mark was born on Sept. 4, 1946, in Dubuque, son of LeRoy and Eleanor (Radloff) Beckman.

He married Darlene Bakey on Jan. 7, 1967, at Holy Family Church in the New Melleray area of rural Peosta. Darlene preceded Mark in death on March 19, 2005.

Mark went by many names: Dad, Boppa, Grandpa, Uncle Mark, "Calhoun" and Marky. He was a loving and supportive husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, great-uncle, father-in-law and friend. Mark was determined to support the young people in his life by attending as many of their sports events and extracurricular activities as possible.

Mark excelled in baseball and softball, as a player and a coach. As a coach, he taught many of the Peosta area's finest players the fundamentals of the game.

Mark was happiest tailgating at Milwaukee Brewers games, fishing at "The Ranch" outside Graf, cheering for his beloved Brewers and Iowa Hawkeyes, watching vintage Western movies on television, playing euchre with family and friends ("this hand looks like a foot," he would say when dealt less-than-promising cards), and sitting on the deck of his home listening to the "Saturday Night Kat Cruise" on the radio.

"You can't roller skate in a buffalo herd," Mark would say, and what seemed like a head-scratching non sequitur turned out to be a lyric from a Roger Miller hit single of the 1960s. Mark loved music and would sing along to Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton and Alan Jackson.

Mark was a hard worker. After graduating from Western Dubuque High School, he worked at Kalb Feed Store, Ridge Motor & Machine Company, John Deere and Flexsteel Industries, where he retired.

Mark is survived by three daughters, Jill (Erik) Hogstrom, of Dubuque, Cindy (Chris) Shaffer, of Grimes, and Kelly (Matt) Murley, of Bondurant; a son, David (Kimberly) Beckman, of Cedar Rapids; seven grandchildren, Trey (Grace) and Gabrielle Beckman, K. Lovisa (Tori) Railstrom, Annika Hogstrom, Morgan Olivia Shaffer and Finn and Ainsley Murley; and sisters Beverly Hedrick, of Dyersville; and Georgia Ann Carpenter, of Hastings, Minn.; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to Darlene, Mark was preceded in death by his sisters and brothers, Patty Heiar, Marlene Miller, Roger "Butch" Beckman and Michael Beckman in infancy.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorial donations in Mark's name to Hospice of Dubuque, Stonehill Franciscan Services and Dubuque Regional Humane Society.

A Video tribute is available to view online and online condolences may be left for the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com.