Mark Henke, 53

Mark Alan Henke was born May 6, 1959, at Olmsted Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, to Christian and Evelyn (Kidd) Henke. He was raised in Stewartville, graduating from Stewartville High School in 1977 and then St. Olaf in 1981. His career began in the Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester. There he met Joyce Bluemle, and they married on August 13, 1983, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois. Mark received his MBA from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill. Over the next 20 years, he worked within Mayo Systems in Minnesota, Florida and Iowa. In 2006, he accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer for Sanford Hospital in Luverne, Minnesota. In 2010, he accepted his current position of President and CEO of Northfield Hospital & Clinics.

Mark was a member of Emmaus Church, the Minnesota Health Association and Northfield Rotary Club. His memorable qualities include his unwavering faith, daily professionalism, lasting wit, belief in his staff, devotion to his family and satisfaction for a job well-done. Mark loved the Lord and lived to please Him.

Survivors include his wife of 29 years, Joyce; his children: Amanda and husband Jess Greenwood, Allison, Jessica, John and Natalie; his mother, Evelyn Henke of Rochester; his brothers: Philip and wife Linda of Indianapolis, Ind.; Paul and wife Barb of Rochester; his mother-in-law, Elaine (John) Reed of Elgin, Illinois; his brother-in-law, Jim (Ellen) Bluemle of Huntley, Ill.; his sister-in-law, Jan (Ron) Lyle of Elgin, Ill.; as well as other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Christian, and his father-in-law, John Bluemle.

Mark passed away on Friday morning, August 31, 2012, at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital, following a recent diagnosis of cancer.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 8, 2012, at Emmaus Church in Northfield with Rev. Will Healy officiating.

In-lieu-of flowers, memorials are preferred for the Endoscopy expansion at Northfield Hospital.

Arrangements are with the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home. www.northfieldfuneral.com