Mark W. Ober Sr., 73

Mark W. Ober Sr., 73, of Ashland passed away April 26, after a brief illness.

Mark was born Oct. 27, 1949, to Allen K. Ober and Marjorie (Fogg) Ober and lived his whole life in Ashland. He graduated from Ashland High School in 1968 and worked as a farmer until 1972, when he began serving his community as a member of the Ashland Highway Department. In 1978 he became the town road agent and public works director, a position for which he was highly respected and that he held until his retirement in 2014. He also served as a town trustee and served on the committee for Pemi Baker Solid Waste District. Mark worked tirelessly in all aspects of his life, and after his day job tended his small family farm on Owl Brook Road into the night, raising a variety of farm animals. He was known for his haying prowess, producing thousands of bales of hay each summer. He imparted this work ethic onto his children who helped him throw and stack bales of hay to feed his cattle throughout the winter.

Mark was the sixth of seven children. He was predeceased by his parents Allen and Marjorie, and siblings Judith, David, Keith and Douglas.

Mark loved his family deeply. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Beverly of Ashland; his four children, Amy and her husband Nickolas of Ashland, Mark Jr. and his wife Susan of Franconia, Corey and his wife Mary of Ashland, and Aaron and his wife Danielle of San Francisco, California; and his two stepchildren, Matt Jolin of Ashland and Sarah Spromberg of Livingston, Montana. Mark was an especially proud grandfather of four grandchildren, Barrett, Brock, Vivienne and Rosalind, and shared his home with his four step-grandchildren, Samantha, Mathew, Izak and Jace. He is also survived by his brother Harold of Pennsylvania and sister Alice of Vermont.

Calling hours will be held at Dupuis Funeral Home, 11 Hill Ave. in Ashland, 4-7 p.m. on Monday, May 1. A private family burial will take place at Green Grove Cemetery in Ashland.

Donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice. For more information, visit dupuisfuneralhome.com.