Mark Strick

(From Lakin Funeral Home)

Mark J. Strick, Sr., age 83, of Springfield, MO passed away on October 02, 2016, at the Quail Creek Nursing Home. Visitation will be on October 8, 2016, from 9:00 - 9:45 AM at Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City, MO, (417) 476-2626, with a Funeral Mass to follow at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Pierce City, MO at 10:00 AM. Burial services, including full Military Honors, will immediately follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Pierce City, MO.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, PO Box 89367, Tampa, FL 33689, email, warrior@specialops.org, 1-813-805-9400, St. Mary's Catholic Church, or St. Mary's School.

Mark was born in Richey, Mo, the son of Bernard and Jane (Ferguson) Strick. He graduated from Pierce City High School and entered the Missouri National Guard in 1949, and transferred to the US Army in 1955, serving as a Parachute Rigger, Infantryman, Golden Knight Parachute Team member and Special Forces soldier for over 30 years, retiring as a Sergeant Major in 1985. His overseas assignments and deployments included Germany, Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Thailand, while his US assignments included Ft. Bragg, NC, and the Univ. of Alabama, as a ROTC instructor.

After retiring from the Army, he began his second career as a commercial pilot working for Britt Airlines, Terre Haute, IN, McAbee Construction, Tuscaloosa, AL and Bob Wehr Enterprises, Springfield, MO, and managed a flying business as Strick Flying Services until 2015.

He was united in marriage to Rose M. Dacy in 1952, and she survives.

Mark was remembered for his love of the Army, Special Forces, military and competitive skydiving with over 4,000 parachute jumps, and flying several aircraft for work and his personal Cessna 182.

Those left to honor his memory include his brother Paul (Pearl); sister, Jean Richardson; his sons, Mark, Jr. (Cindy), Don (Becky), Tom, deceased, and daughter, Michelle Berry (Dirk); with nine grandchildren, Eric, Travis, Anthony, Lauren, Julie, Laura, Dirk Jr, Madeline, and Kyle and five great-grandchildren, Noah, Chloe, Anthony Jr., Braxton, and Bella.