Mark Arentsen

December 12, 2022

Mark Arentsen

Service Details

Mark James Arentsen was born December 3, 1951 in Portsmouth, Virginia. He passed away on Monday, December 12, surrounded by his loving family.

Mark grew up in Janesville, Wisconsin. He graduated from Milton College and received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1982. He was united in marriage to Maribeth Nowlin on June 25, 1983.

While pursuing his Master’s Degree in Wisconsin, Mark served on the Rock County Board of Supervisors. After graduation, he held City Clerk and City Administrator positions in Merrimac, East Troy, Sauk City, and Plover. He also served as Shawano County Administrator.

After moving to Iowa in 1999, he held City Administrator positions in Waukee and Bondurant. Following retirement, he served as interim City Administrator in Mitchellville, Grimes, and Windsor Heights.

For decades, Mark served as a daily resource for a wide array of Iowa and Wisconsin residents, civic leaders, and others who shared in his mission of building wonderful communities in which all people can thrive. His dedicated service and constant advocacy for others never wavered as he worked on behalf of fellow municipal employees, community governing bodies, and most importantly the residents who inspired his commitment to community betterment. Everyone who met Mark felt the warmth of his patience, kindness and love.

During the course of his career, Mark was recognized for service in the following capacities:
- Received the President’s Award for serving as President of the Wisconsin Transportation Development Authority
- Was recognized by the International City Administrators Association for more than 40 years of service.
- Served as Administrator for the City of Waukee during a period of record-breaking development and growth.
- Dedicated over 11 years of service to the City of Bondurant. As City Administrator, he led development of many city projects, including construction of a new library, Depot, downtown redevelopment, bike paths and numerous infrastructure projects.

In his free time, Mark enjoyed coin collecting, classic cars, word puzzles, bike riding and travel. A self-taught carpenter, Mark remodeled and finished several homes. Mark, Maribeth and their children spent many happy summers traveling to National Parks all over the U.S. and Canada. A highlight of each trip would be a white water rafting adventure. While in Wisconsin, he enjoyed spending weekends and vacations with his family on his Bayliner cabin cruiser. Long summer days were spent on lakes Minocqua, Winnebago and cruising around the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior. He taught his children to ski and spent wonderful days on the slopes of Rib Mountain, WI, Keystone, CO and Alyeska, AK. Mark was a lifelong supporter of the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers, and Milwaukee Brewers. As their children got older, Mark and Maribeth traveled to numerous places around the world. Trips to Hawaii and the Apostle Islands were their final excursions. In recent years, Mark’s greatest joy was spending time with his grandchildren.

Mark was a member of Capitol Hill Lutheran Church, where he served on the church council and in many volunteer positions. He participated in building restoration projects and supported the church’s many missions.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife Maribeth, children Elizabeth (Jeffrey) and Nathan, granddaughters River and Amina, sister Chris Kranz and brother Kurt Arentsen (Kaaren), nieces and nephews Kimberly (Brett) and Richard Kranz (Stacy), step-mother Dorothy Arentsen, step-sister Robin Kanitz, and step-brothers Roger Kanitz (Connie), Daniel Kanitz (Lori) and Allan Kanitz (Veda).

Services will be held at Capitol Hill Lutheran Church on Sunday, December 18th at 2:00 PM, with a reception following the service in Fellowship Hall.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Capitol Hill Lutheran Church Building Renovation Fund in memory of Mark Arentsen.

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