Dr. Mark J Singsank, 65, of Dubuque, died Friday, August 31, 2018, at Mercy Medical Center. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday at St. Raphael Cathedral. Visitation will be held there from 10 to 10:45 a.m. In keeping with Mark’s wishes, colorful clothing is encouraged.
Mark was born September 27, 1952, in Carroll, Iowa, son of Wilbur and Lucille (Schaefer) Singsank.
He graduated from Kemper High School in Carroll, Iowa, Loras College in Dubuque, and the University of Iowa Medical School in Iowa City. Following his residency at Truman Hospital in Kansas City, Mark came to Dubuque and was an Emergency Medicine physician at Mercy Hospital from 1985 to 2013.
During medical school, Mark was awarded membership to the prestigious AOA medical honor society, an honor only bestowed to students who show high academic standing, professionalism, a firm sense of ethics, commitment to community service, and the promise of future success in medicine. He was a founding member of the American Association of Emergency Medicine, one of the nation’s largest academic medical associations. Most notably, Mark was the first board certified Emergency Medicine physician practicing in Iowa and, after arriving in Dubuque, he formed the first fully board certified Emergency Medicine department in Iowa.
In addition to his work at Mercy, Mark served as a medical director and educator for various regional EMS services, including the Epworth Volunteer Fire Department.
He is survived by three children, Jill (Charles) Singsank Coats of Las Vegas, NV, Zach (Rachel) Singsank of Lincoln, NE, and Leah Singsank of Chicago, IL; and two grandchildren, Graham Coats and Valerie Singsank.
He is also survived by four brothers, Jim (Ellen), Dean (Mary), Paul, and Craig (Carey) Singsank; three sisters, Mary (William) Woodward, Jane (Ted) Feilmeier and Peg (Tim) Suther; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Leon and Dennis Singsank.
Mark was much loved.
He loved to learn and to teach. He challenged his kids to “learn how to learn.” He encouraged academic and personal growth in others and was constantly working to better himself, spending hours every day reading anything and everything he could get his eyes on.
Mark touched many lives in the Emergency Department at Mercy, from his nurses and colleagues, to the patients passing through. When Mark went anywhere in town, he was guaranteed to be stopped by folks wanting to talk to him, calling out “hey doc!” and thanking him for caring for them or their loved ones in the hospital. He humbly accepted their thanks and moved on, not wanting to shine the light on himself for too long. Mark loved his work and never thought that saving lives was anything but what he was supposed to do. He was fiercely dedicated to his children and a loyal friend.
Ever the eccentric, Mark was known for his wild landscaping and interior design. He loved donning a sharp suit just to go have a glass of wine with his buddies or simply pop on his big straw hat and sit on his porch and watch the Iowa storms roll through town.
The Egelhof, Siegert and Casper Westview Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Epworth Volunteer Fire Department.
The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Mercy Medical Center for their care.