Mark Daniel Drescher

Mark Daniel Drescher, age 69, passed away on May 2, 2023, at Poudre Valley Hospital after a long, courageous, and hard-fought two-year battle with cancer. He was born to John and Jean Drescher on April 8, 1954, in Fontainebleau, France while his parents were stationed there with the Air Force. He went to grade school in Greeley, CO then moved to Fort Collins and graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972. Most of his life was spent in the Fort Collins area, and he lived the last 16 years in Eaton, CO.

Mark's life work was working for the City of Fort Collins Parks Department for 42 years. He watched and participated in seeing the Parks system grow from a couple dozen employees and handful of Parks, to the sprawling city-wide Parks and Trails system that exists today. He helped with irrigation, weed control, snow removal, helping to build and maintain various Parks components, but his favorite was working on the Trail system. When he retired in May of 2019, he said the best part of his job, and what he would miss most, were the people he worked with. Over the years he inspired what are known as "Drescherisms" among his co-workers: love them or hate them, those quips of wit may still be tossed around today.

Mark loved cars and talking about them. He knew a great number of things about motors, racing, and car styles. He had a home shop where he built a Baja bug, a sand buggy, and a custom VW. He worked on his 1972 Blazer (the Orange Crate), fixed his kid's cars, and could generally fix anything at all. His other passions included all sorts of music trivia (especially classic rock), guns, skeet shooting and hunting with the guys at elk camp, all of which he could talk about endlessly. He also loved taking his family boating and camping to Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins as well as Glendo, WY, and those memories are some of the best.

Mark leaves behind his adored wife of 41 years, Joyce, his two beloved children: daughter Katie (Van Horn), son Andrew (wife Amanda) and four beautiful, amazing and "smarter than we are" grandchildren: Xander Van Horn, Maddie Van Horn, Grace Drescher, and Avery Drescher; his mother Donna Jean Drescher, sister Lisa Boyd, his nephew Connor Fairbairn, niece Michelle Fairbairn, his nephew Ryan Boyd (wife Abbi and daughter Emerson), niece Cortney Boyd (husband Nate) and many other extended family members. Preceded in death by his father John Drescher. Before he passed, he told the hospital chaplain he was the most proud of his family, all of whom will greatly miss our amazing diamond in the rough.

Joyce and Mark would like to give special thanks to the Fort Collins Cancer Center and all the doctors, nurses, PA's, MA's, and support staff. You helped Mark go from an initial Stage 4 cancer diagnosis of "3 to 6 months," to two years and two months. In that time, he was able to see his son marry, greet the birth of his fourth grandchild, spend time e-biking, camping, travel a little, work in his yard, and enjoy life to the fullest as possible all while enduring endless chemo and radiation treatments. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

A Celebration of Life is planned for Friday, June 2, from 2-4pm, at Edora Park Shelter #1 (west of ballfields) in Fort Collins. Please bring your Drescherisms and good stories to share. We are grateful he is at peace.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fort Collins UCH Cancer Center. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.allnuttftcollins.com for the Drescher family. The family requests for those coming to the service to please bring extra chairs.