Mark Stephen Tanner

He was born Mark Stephen Tanner, on January 16, 1952 to Beulah Pearl Tanner and James Gilbert Tanner. He grew up in Duncanville, Texas and attended Duncanville High School where he graduated in 1970. Mark was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1972 and was stationed in various places, including Japan, Germany, England, and France. He spent 9 years and 4 months in the military, during which he earned numerous letters of commendation from superior officers for a job well done as a military policeman. During a tour in Okinawa, Japan he met Kikuko Tanner, who he married on November 14, 1973. They had two daughters: Eva was born in Germany while the Tanners were stationed there; Maria was born in Dallas when the Tanners were back stateside. For a time, the family lived in Germany, and also in New Jersey. Eventually they settled in Dallas, Texas. Mark pursued an education in Criminal Justice at Dallas County Community College. He also continued his interest in martial arts, and he eventually earned a 1st Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwan Do on June 26, 1983. He worked as a detention officer with the Dallas County Sheriff's Department. After several years, Mark left the Sheriff's Department and went to truck driving school. He earned a CDL license in 1990 and became an over-the-road truck driver for several companies, traveling to every state in the contiguous United States. During some of this time he served in the Army Reserves. Health problems forced him to retire from truck driving in 2007. Mark passed away on July 31, 2015. He was preceded in death by his mother Beulah, father James, and brother Frank Baskerville. He is survived by his two daughters, Eva Tanner and Maria Solis, son-in-law Sergio Solis, and granddaughter Vivienne Solis. He was laid to rest on September 22, 2015 at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery on the first anniversary of the passing of his wife Kikuko Tanner.