Mark John Myrvik

Mark was born at Mercy Hospital in Devils Lake, North Dakota on May 10, 1961, to Clifford and Shirley (Okeson) Myrvik. Mark was baptized at St Hans Lutheran Church, rural Edmore, and confirmed at Concordia Lutheran Church in Edmore, ND. He grew up on the family farm with his two younger siblings Paul and Cathy. His childhood years were filled with riding bicycles, motorcycles, and snowmobiles, building forts in the woods, playing basketball, foosball, and billiards, reading books, and many hours of Monopoly, Clue and Battleship at the family table.

Mark attended Edmore Public School where he participated in basketball, student council, and played trumpet in the Pep Band. He graduated with honors in 1979. Mark attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND and graduated with a degree in Marketing and Management in 1984. He joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity where he made many close, loyal friends and has maintained those friendships for over 40 years. Mark (aka ‘Myrv’) actively took part in many organizations, events, and shenanigans during his college years.

Mark was in the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) industry and worked for Del Monte Foods, H. J. Heinz, International Home Foods (now Conagra) and Hormel Foods. These positions brought him to Iowa, Minnesota, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and eventually to Bentonville, Arkansas, a community which he was so proud live in for the past 25 years. He recently started his own CPG consultant/brokerage business, Beacon Growth Strategy, an endeavor he was very excited about. He was also a co-owner in Beacon Enterprises, a property management business for Airbnb rental houses. Mark excelled in his work, enjoyed a challenge, and was well respected by his colleagues. Through his work, he made many special life-long friends.

Mark married Linda Herdegen on September 4, 1988, and they had two beautiful children, Taylor and Mason. Above all else, Mark’s greatest joy in life were his children. He loved them beyond measure and enjoyed being involved in every aspect of their lives. He was so proud of them and supported them in all of their activities. He shared the love of fashion and clothing boutiques with his daughter Taylor, always following the news about what was happening in the industry. Mark and Mason shared a love of sports, and they went to church together every Sunday, always stopping for Einstein Bagels afterwards. He relished giving his family rides in his prized 1968 Chevy Malibu, which he had owned since high school. His greatest moments were the ones spent with Taylor and Mason.

Marks interests were many and varied. He loved sports of all kinds and was a loyal fan of UND Fighting Sioux hockey, a long-suffering Minnesota Vikings fan, and an enthusiastic Arkansas Razorbacks fan. He loved golfing, down-hill skiing, and enjoyed a good game of chess or poker. Mark was a bicycling enthusiast and belonged to a local cycling group with a great group of friends. They all enjoyed long rides and cold beers. In 2017, Mark racked up 2000 miles on his bicycle in one year. Mark was a foodie – he loved to try out new restaurants and thoroughly enjoyed cooking. His tastes ranged from his mother’s ND ‘Hotdish’, Norwegian Lefse, and Swedish meatballs, to a ‘Grinder’ at the Red Pepper in Grand Forks, and anything spicy in between!

Mark was an avid news junkie of all formats, but especially enjoyed reading a newspaper. The Wall Street Journal was delivered every day and he still received the small Edmore Herald from his beloved hometown every week. He was an adventurous traveler and captured the moments with beautiful photography. Mark kept abreast of politics and current events. He was patient (for the most part), humble, classy and kind. Smiles and laughter came easily, and he enjoyed a good joke. Mark truly lived his life fully, loved his family deeply, and trusted the Lord faithfully.

Mark will be deeply missed by his daughter, Taylor, and his son, Mason; his brother, Paul (Jodi) Myrvik and niece Sophie; his sister, Cathy Myrvik; his uncle, Lee (Marlene) Okeson; his aunts, Opal Myrvik, JoAnn Okeson, and Jeanne Monson (Okeson); dearly beloved cousins on the Myrvik and Okeson sides; his family on the Herdegen, Lian, and Swangler sides; his long-time companion, Linda Myrvik, and many dear friends and neighbors.

Mark was proceeded in death by his parents; his uncles, Allen Myrvik, Milo Okeson and Glenn Okeson; his aunts, Lila Mae (Leroy) Hamre and Darlene (Mosey) Flaten.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Callison-Lough Funeral Home in Bentonville on Monday, October 11, 2021. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm with a time of sharing/prayer at 6:00 pm. Burial will be at the St Hans Lutheran Cemetery, rural Edmore, ND at a later date. Condolences may be expressed at www.CallisonLoughFH.com