Mark Alan Forrester

Mark Alan Forrester, 66, of Columbia City, Indiana, passed away Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at Sacred Heart Nursing Home with his wife by his side. Born April 4, 1958, in Fort Wayne, Indiana he was a son of the late Richard "Dick" P. and Betty Lou (Schrader) Forrester. 

He graduated from Columbia City Joint High School with the Class of 1976.  Mark also attended Purdue and IPFW for a year. On May 27, 1978, he married Connie Jean Sheets in Columbia City, Indiana.  Mark’s first job was working at Columbia Locker for his grandparents Russell and Mary Schrader.  After his education he worked for Reiff Construction and in the early 1980's he co-founded Mark II Construction.  In 1996 he started Forrester Construction Inc. and in 2008 went to work for SDI until 2020 when he had to retire due to his illness. 

Mark was an accomplished woodworker. He had a passion for finished carpentry, making cabinetry and furniture. Throughout his life, Mark enjoyed trap shooting, Purdue basketball, pawn shopping, poker nights, and racquet ball. A perfect Saturday for Mark was finding a great deal at the pawn shop and getting Popeyes chicken on the way home. Mark and Connie enjoyed many trips to Las Vegas, and weekends away antiquing. Mark loved nothing more than pulling a good prank or making a joke, you never knew when one was coming. He was a collector of many things but particularly of USA made tools and watches. 

Mark is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Connie Forrester; daughters, Jennifer (Jimmy) Merkler and Rhiannon (Brad) Cormany; grandchildren, Aaron Wilcoxson, Luke Wilcoxson, Lauren Wilcoxson, Cate Cormany, Charlotte Cormany, and Clayton Cormany; his girls, Daisy May and Elle May; sisters-in-law, Andrea "Andy" Forrester and Barb (Jerry) Lahrman; and brother-in-law, Dean (Barb) Sheets; uncles, Chuck (Eunice) Forrester, and Mike (Cathy) Schrader; and several cousins. Along with his parents, Mark was preceded in death by an infant brother David Forrester; and brothers, John Scott Forrester, and Matthew Forrester.

Visitation will be 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Thursday, February 13, 2025, at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral service will be 10:00 am with visitation one hour prior Friday, February 14, 2025, also at the funeral home. Burial will take place at South Park (Annex) Cemetery. Memorial donations may be given in memory of Mark to the Humane Society of Whitley County or Heart to Heart Hospice. Visit www.DeMoneyGrimes.com to send Mark's family online condolences or sign the online guest book.