A Memorial Mass for Mark James Kollasch, 88, of Indianola, who passed away Friday, March 29, 2024 at The Village in Indianola, will be held 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with inurnment of cremains following in the Indianola I.O.O.F. Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Mark was born in Whittemore, Iowa on August 21, 1935. He grew up on the farm and realized the farm life was not for him. After graduating from high school in 1953, he attended Loras College and played baseball for two years and then enlisted in the United States Navy for two years. He moved to the big city of Des Moines in 1958 where he met his future wife Helen.  He worked at United Air Lines for thirty-seven years with only five sick days and rarely refusing to work overtime. They were married in 1960. They made Indianola their home in 1962 raising three children, Tim, Tom, and Kerry. Mark was very involved in coaching his kid's sports activities and spent many evenings in the backyard and in the driveway practicing with his kids.

He loved to golf! He was a member of the Indianola Country Club for forty-eight years. He had three holes-in-one, won numerous golf tournaments, and had many wonderful memories with his golfing buddies. Although Mark was raised to keep dogs outside, he quickly adapted to having an indoor dog who you would find snuggled up beside him in his recliner. After retiring from United Air Lines in 1995, Mark volunteered by serving Meals On Wheels and delivered meals for twenty-five years, one of the longest serving volunteers for this program in Warren County. He brought a meal, a smile, and kind words to many over the years. He was a devout, active member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church for sixty-two years. He was very involved with the Knights of Columbus and one of his favorite activities was serving at the Lenten fish fries. Mark loved the Iowa Hawkeyes! He tried to instill his love of the Hawkeyes by holding his grandson, Casey on his lap pointing to his Hawkeye watch and repeating Hawkeye over an over-it didn't take! He also loved the Boston Red Sox, something that didn't sit well with his older brother Joe, who was a Yankee fan. Mark was a hard worker who never complained, he always had a smile and was one of the kindest people you could ever meet.

Mark is survived by his wife, Helen; children Tim Kollasch and Kerry (Lindley) Stecker; grandsons, Casey and Spencer Stecker; sisters, Eileen Bormann and Carol Mergen and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his son, Tom Kollasch; parents, Leo and Marguerite Kollasch; sisters, Katie Loss and Ann King and brother, Joe Kollasch.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at Overton Funeral Home.  A Knights of Columbus Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Mark's memory to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church or Kiya Koda Humane Society.