Mark Barens

Mark Barens February 19, 1932 - November 15, 2011

Mark J. Barens, age 79 of Waseca, died on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at St. Mary''s Hospital in Rochester. A Memorial Gathering will be held on Saturday, November 19th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory in Waseca. Memorials may be directed to the Waseca Arts Council. Interment will be in the Lincoln Cemetery in Montgomery, IL at a later date. Mark Janis was born on February 19, 1932 in Jaunjeljava, Latvia to Janis and Austra (Reiters) Barens. Upon his arrival in the United States in 1949, Mark began working as a ranch hand at the Stardust Ranch in Loco, Oklahoma. He entered active military service with U.S. Army in October of 1955. During his military duty Mark married Teresa Mingo in Madrid, Spain. Upon his honorable discharge in June of 1957, he moved to Aurora, Illinois. Mark earned his AAS degree in engineering from Aurora College, then began a long career with the Burlington Northern (BNSF), and later, Milwaukee Railroad. Following his retirement he drove buses for the Oswego, IL School District. He was a lifetime artist & creative soul! Mark will be missed by his wife Teresa of Waseca, and his children Mark A. "Mick" Barens and his wife Terrie of Waseca, MN and Dubai, UAE, Edgar A. Barens and his partner Brian Tibbs of Aurora, IL; by his grandchildren Jessica Colette Barens and partner Joleen Ross of Waseca, and Alison Marie Barens of Wellington, FL; by his sisters Edith Essex, and Mimi Ahng and her husband Jim, all of Aurora, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother-in-law Homer Essex.