Mark Edward Fleetwood

Beloved husband and father, Mark Edward Fleetwood, age 59 of Loveland Colorado, was taken from his family and friends on Saturday, January 27, 2024. Mark lost his life suddenly in Daytona Beach, Florida where he was attending a racing event. He died instantly when an impaired driver struck him while he was crossing the street.

Mark was known as a funny, big-hearted man who shared his kindness and generosity with those in need. He will be missed most for his sly wit, goofy antics and willingness to help others. He was so proud of his three strong, independent daughters and was a true and devoted husband to his wife. From a young age, football, basketball, and hockey were recreational and fanatical pursuits. As an adult, he enjoyed camping and epic family road trips.

Mark was born to Paul and Christa Fleetwood in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 31, 1964, where he was the youngest of three children. An interest in IndyCar and other racing series took hold there and grew bigger over the years. He graduated from Warren Central High School in 1982 where he played Center on the football team.

In college, Mark studied Marketing at Indiana University, Kelley School of Business. During the first week of his sophomore year, Mark was introduced to his future wife, Karen Von Hagen, a freshman from Madison, NJ. They began dating in October 1983 and have been together ever since, marrying in January 1988, 36 years ago.

After graduating, Mark worked in New York City for Dun & Bradstreet as a marketing professional. In 1991, Mark and Karen moved to Cincinnati, OH where he worked for F&W Publications. For most of his career, Mark worked for niche magazine publishers in Ohio, Virginia and Colorado, using his marketing skills to boost circulation.

Mark and Karen’s two eldest daughters, Ellen and Jane, were born in the Cincinnati suburb of West Chester, OH. Their youngest daughter, Meg, was born in Bristow, Virginia. As a father, he was inventive and fun; once turning their patio into an ice rink and their kitchen into a roller rink. Mark sometimes treated his young daughters to a midnight trip to Waffle House in pajamas.

While living in Virginia, Mark loved living close to Civil War historical sites. Studying history was a lifelong interest for him. His family accompanied him to several battlefields over the years.

In 2012, the family moved to Loveland, Colorado. Seven years ago, he changed careers from publishing to data analytics, working for Wiland, Inc in Niwot, to help businesses optimize their customer base.

The move to Colorado satisfied a dream that was sparked as a 14-yr-old reading James Michener’s novel, Centennial. It examined the state’s geology, history of native people and settlers, natural resource management and the physical beauty of the Rockies: all subjects of interest to Mark in his future reading and learning.

In Loveland, Mark’s home Christmas displays became legendary, taking on new themes each year. These displays took all year to conceive, plan and build. There was also a charitable component where any collected funds were matched by Mark and donated to the local food bank.

Over his life, Mark’s charitable giving was wide-ranging, from wildlife preservation to political campaigns. As his daughters grew into adulthood, he leaned more towards supporting causes that championed justice for women and people who have been marginalized. In addition, Mark, Karen and the girls supported Greyhound rescue groups and have adopted and fostered retired racers.

Mark is survived by his wife, Karen Fleetwood, of Loveland; daughters Ellen Kozan (Austin, TX), Jane Fleetwood (Brooklyn, NY) and Meg Fleetwood (Denver, CO); Son-in-Law, Kevin Kozan (Austin, TX); mother, Christa Fleetwood and siblings, Mike Fleetwood and Sabrina Fulford (all of Indianapolis, IN). He is also survived by brothers-in-law, a sister-in-law, three nieces and four nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home in Fort Collins, Colorado. A Visitation will be held for those that wish to pay their respects and and say their goodbyes on Thursday, February 8th from 5pm-7pm. Mark's Memorial Service will take place the following day on Friday, February 9th at 11am. For those that may not be able to attend in person, the memorial service will be viewable via livestream.

If you feel called to honor Mark, in lieu of flowers, please make donations to Colorado Greyhound Adoption or Larimer County Food Bank. Treasured memories of Mark and words of condolence for his family are welcome at www.resthavencolorado.com.