Mark Eugene Odland, 91, Detroit Lakes, MN, died peacefully on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 at Ecumen Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 27th at the United Methodist Church in Detroit Lakes with the Reverend Brenda North officiating. Interment will be in the United Methodist Memorial Garden. Friends may call one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Mark was born October 7, 1922 in Beach, North Dakota. His parents, Lotta Troop Odland and John Gerald Odland, raised him on their farm until the depression caused them to move their family to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mark spent his formative years working as a plumber's apprentice while in high school. He met his future wife, Ruth Lucille Jost, at Sioux Falls Washington High School where they both played in the band. After high school Mark enrolled in Augustana College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in mathematics and chemistry in 1943. During college, he was a music librarian and could identify by ear most major pieces of classical music and their composer. He planned to continue his music education at Eastman School of Music. On November 13, 1943, Mark was commissioned at the U. S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School at Notre Dame in Indiana. As an Ensign, he reported to Naval Training School of Aerological Engineering at the University of California in Los Angeles. During this time he married Ruth in Westwood Hills California. He continued his naval training in Sea and Swell Forecasting at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. Afterwards Mark was assigned to the South Pacific. While on the U.S. S. San Pablo, Mark was responsible for documenting and reporting weather conditions for the air operations. After the war, Mark continued his education on the GI Bill and enrolled in the University of Minnesota Medical School. He graduated in 1948 and in 1950 completed his residency in family practice at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. During his medical training, his clarinet playing helped augment his living expenses as he played in many swing dance bands. After his medical training he moved to Detroit Lakes where he delivered babies for three generations of local residents, and cared for four generations of families while practicing medicine at the Detroit Lakes Clinic. He retired in 1985. Mark was active in the Detroit Lakes school board, the Jaycees, lighting the city trees at Christmas, the Masonic Temple, and loved playing his clarinet in the City Band. He was committed to the Becker County Food Shelf and reached out to numerous families wherever he felt he could help. He was an integral part of the United Methodist Church, not only as a member, but also as choir director when needed. He was devoted to his faith and the many dear and caring friends within his church.
Contributor: Breck Wilson (49244730) •