Mark Luer, age 63, of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully at home on a beautiful winter's night, Thursday, December 23, 2021, snuggled by the fireplace with his dog Bailey and his family at his side after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer.

A small service will be held January 15, 2022 at 10:00 am at the Presbyterian Church in Oxford WI., 210 S Miller St, Oxford, WI 53952. There will be a celebration of Mark's life next summer so please do not travel if winter roads are dicey or if you have Covid safety concerns.

As a kid, Mark spent much of his time taking things apart and then putting them back together (mostly), when he was not competing in archery tournaments. He eventually gained interest in modelmaking, which became the stepping stone to his life's work. His career as a master patternmaker and woodworker kept him busy building and creating in many interesting ways. After moving to the Dells from Waukesha, he found himself working at a number of the large waterparks in town after discovering a niche demand for maintenance and repair duties for the waterslides. He has been known to work diligently (and proudly) into the night until the wee small hours of the morning ensuring each job was correct and well done. In the words of a good friend, Jim Hahn "It was my privilege to know and work with Mark for several years.  He was one of the most talented craftsmen I ever worked with.  His attitude, work ethic and sense of humor made him truly a joy.  My life was and is better because of him and I'm proud to have called him my friend."

When he was off the clock, he was an avid outdoorsman. His favorite hobbies remained hunting and fishing throughout his life although he had a vast knowledge of many subjects, you needed only to choose a topic and he would talk for hours. Mark's best quality was that he was always there when someone needed help; regardless if it was a family member, a friend, or a neighbor. Moreover, he would come to the aid of strangers who had the misfortune of sliding off the road into the ditch when passing by in his pickup truck and pull them out. His heart was bigger than all the lakes of Wisconsin combined, and will be greatly missed.

Mark was born October 14, 1958, in Waukesha, Wisconsin the son of Harvey and June (Clark) Luer. Mark is survived by his wife, Elaine; daughter, Jessica; son, Jonathon; mother, June; brother, Todd (Karen); sister, Pam (Gary Bingner); niece, Emily; nephew, Grant (Kylie); mother-in-law Dawn Lind, sister-in-law Anita Lind, aunt, Ann Luer, along with his life long friends, Tom and Maureen Zindars; Toni See; Robert Simonis and his many cousins, friends and neighbors. A special note of gratitude to long time friend, Tom Simonis, who helped usher Mark and his family through this difficult year and to Phil and Trudy Helley whose support has been unwavering. Mark is preceded in death by his father, Harvey Luer.

A couple weeks ago while saying goodbye to Mark, one of the things he said was that he didn't like taking people fishing when he had to do everything for them, "then I can't do my own fishing." Elaine's laugh revealed her guilt. The other thing Mark said was, "I have the time, the boat and everything to do whatever I want... I am ready to rock and roll except for this stupid disease."

So, in Mark's memory, try to get out there and rock and roll in whatever way rings true for you!  We're all on this journey going down the river together. Mark's boat has simply pulled ahead into a new sunset loaded with all his dogs to explore the next best fishing hole around the bend. The luckiest dogs on Earth found their way to Mark.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Cancer Research so we can put an end to this senseless disease.  Take some time to visit your own quiet place and think of Mark... Organize your hunting or fishing gear while dreaming about the coming season and crank up one of Mark's favorite bands, ZZ Top... Maybe adopt a dog or care for a stray? He would be happy if you simply tipped a Guinness and howled at the moon in his name.

The Picha Funeral Home and Crematory of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin assisted the family with arrangements. For On-Line condolences and information, go to www.pichafuneralhome.com.

608-253-7884