Mark Gustafson

Funeral Service for Mark Gustafson, 74, of Dickinson, will be 11:00 am, Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church with Rev. Scott Erickson officiating. Burial will follow at the Halliday Cemetery in Halliday.

Visitation for Mark will be from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson, with a Prayer Service at 6:00 pm.

Mark Edwin Gustafson, son of Harry and Alpha (Dahl) Gustafson, was born on August 9, 1951, in Bismarck, North Dakota. Mark grew up on a ranch southeast of Halliday, where his love of horses and Hereford cattle flourished.

Mark graduated from Halliday High School in 1969. He preferred riding his horse to school on the railroad tracks to riding the school bus. He attended NDSU for a quarter, but the pull of the ranch and home was strong.

Mark attended Spring Creek and Our Savior's Lutheran Churches faithfully with his family. As a young adult, when his father was ill, Mark came face to face with his own mortality. It was at this time church membership was replaced with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Mark served as the treasurer of Marshall Lutheran, Marshall, ND, and as a Deacon at Calvary Free Lutheran, Mesa, AZ and Our Savior's Lutheran, Dickinson, ND. Mark cared deeply for his church family and friends and would faithfully keep in touch with ailing members over the phone. He also served as a member of the AFLC nominating committee for many years.

Mark served as secretary-treasurer for the Halliday Saddle Club and was on the board of the North Dakota Horned Hereford Association. He built an arena and hosted team-penning events.

Mark spent time in the kitchen with his mother and was a good cook and baker. He was especially known for his apple pie. One veterinarian complimented Mark by saying he had eaten apple pie at most tables west of the Missouri River, but Mark's was the best. Mark knew the people in Dunn County well. Bring up any name and he would tell you their birth date, phone number and have a good story to share.

His mother left this earth at a young age. It was then just Harry and Mark on the ranch and the bond was strong. They cared for each other for many years. Harry spent his last months in the nursing home in Beulah. Mark visited several times a week and each Sunday traveled 16 miles to Marshall Lutheran and then would turn around and drive 40 miles to Beulah to bring his father to Prince of Peace Lutheran.

Just before he went into the nursing home, a new parish worker at Prince of Peace Lutheran in Beulah began visiting Harry. Initially, she wasn't open to Mark's advances. She would say many times through the years thankfully, like the prodigal son, she finally came to her senses and realized, next to Jesus, Mark was God's best gift to her. Mark and Barbara Elmquist were united in marriage in 2004. They spent six years in Beulah, ten years in Apache Junction, AZ, and have made their home in Dickinson since December of 2020. Wherever they worshiped Barbara was involved in Children's Ministry and Mark served quietly at her side bringing many of her ideas to life. They loved their annual trips to AFLC annual conferences visiting national parks and family and friends along the way.

In addition to raising cattle and quarter horses, Mark was a true artist with leather. He built many saddles, including trophy saddles and tack and would oblige any time his wife would ask, "Can you cover this with leather?" He loved the Rodeo and followed many friends and then their children as they competed. He watched rodeos on the Cowboy Channel daily. Barbara would say she often heard the National Anthem three times a day.

Barbara would see Mark looking longingly out at the Herefords grazing in the pastures and would ask, "Are you sorry you married me?" "No!" was his firm reply. She even wrote a song about it and would be happy to sing it to you at a later date. She never doubted for a second his love for her. Once a young girl observing Mark watching Barbara leading something at church said, "I hope someday a man looks at me the way Mark looks at you."

Mark left the arms of his loving wife on April 19, 2026 in Bismarck and passed into the arms of Jesus, just two days after their 22nd anniversary.

Mark is healthy and whole in the presence of His Savior and awaits the arrival of his surviving wife, Barbara; brothers David (Vicki) and Robert (Stacy); sister, Ruth (Dale); brother-in-laws James, David (Colleen) and Scott (Nancy) Elmquist; and many nephews, nieces, greats, great-greats, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, Oscar and Alice Gustafson and Peter and Olga Dahl; sister-in-law Patricia Gustafson, in-laws Willard and Lorraine Elmquist; nephews William and David Elmquist and Christopher Squires, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Missed now and forever ~ Blessed Be His Memory!