As is often the case in small town Iowa, people have found ways to offer support to his wife Barb and their two adult children, Garrett and Lauren, through the harrowing ordeal, and it showed last Wednesday morning when about 70 people showed up to assist the Schwarcks in harvesting the final 400 acres of their corn crop for this year. With between 15 and 20 combines running and both TV and drone cameras capturing the moment, Barb estimated that it was done in four hours.

“(Mark) farmed with two other guys (Dustin Hadley and Kent Reinert), so I wasn’t terribly worried about that. I knew they’d probably get it done, but the way they got it done was very surprising. I didn’t expect that at all,” Barb said. “I wasn’t ready for that. I thought, ‘Oh, a couple semis, a couple combines.’ I was amazed by how many were actually there.”

Innovative Ag Solutions in Union and Mid-Iowa Cooperative in Liscomb both donated equipment and fuel to help make the harvest a reality, and farmers who were close friends of Mark and the family joined together to get the crop from the field. Barb was quick to shout out their nephew, Jared Cook, for playing such a crucial role in the operation.

Beyond the harvest assistance, individuals have brought Barb food and made memorial donations that will benefit some key organizations in the community. More than anything else, she hopes that the sudden surge in attention will remind those who knew her husband how kind and generous he was, how he was always smiling and how he was always looking for ways to help people — even in death, he granted others a chance to live through the gift of organ donation.

Barb Schwarck, Mark’s wife, said she has received an outpouring of support since her husband’s sudden passing and hopes he will be remembered for his kindness and willingness to help out around the Union and Whitten communities, which he called home his entire life

“He always looked on the positive side. He’d make me a better person and say ‘Well, you’ve gotta look at it this way,’ you know,” Barb said.

Anyone who would like to make a donation in Mark’s memory is encouraged to contribute to the South Hardin Rec. Center (where both Mark and his late father Glen served on the board), the Hardin County Fair Board, the Union Community Church or the Union Public Library.

“Just always help out in the community and be willing to help even if you’re not getting paid for anything or it’s not benefiting you, but just help out in the community because he always wanted to do that,” Barb said. “He was always helping in the community, so we tried to help as many places as we can.”

——

Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.