Mark C. Ellert

It takes a special person to bring laughter to the days of others and to love unconditionally with a heart filled with joy. For Mark Ellert, life was about living, and living it to the fullest. Mark seldom had a filter when it came to expressing his opinion, and although stubborn in nature, family was at the very center of his heart. He never put on airs for anyone, and his quick wit enlightened many enjoying his company. A hard working man, Mark enjoyed the friendships of many and had a way all his own for putting strangers at ease. For those who knew and loved him best, he will be deeply missed.

Mark’s story began during the 1950s when it was a quieter, more stable time in America. Although tensions persisted overseas, the baby boom continued and the introduction of the TV dinner was a welcome addition as the first color television sets rolled off assembly lines. It was during these times in the close knit community of Garrett, Indiana when a most welcome event in the lives Carl and Peg Ellert took place on September 11, 1954 when they lovingly welcomed the birth of their little boy, Mark into their arms.

Mark grew up on his family farm located between Auburn and Garrett, Indiana alongside his siblings, Karen, Larry, Toni, Lisa, and Renee. His father was a hard working farmer while his mother remained at home as a homemaker. No stranger to hard work from a young age, he and his siblings had daily chores around the farm which earned Mark a valuable work ethic. He shared many boyhood adventures with his siblings and friends, and he found his share of mischief, too. A very energetic and rambunctious child, trouble seemed to find Mark during his youth, at least a time or two!

Having attended the area schools, as a teenager Mark was basically interested in two things . . . sports and girls! He was a highly accomplished basketball player while attending Garrett High School and excelled in track where he anchored the 4x400 relay team that went on to set a record at Garrett. After graduating with the Class of 1973, Mark furthered his education, receiving his degree in engineering from Glen Oaks College in Michigan.

For many years, Mark worked in his studied profession as a skilled engineer at Magnavox and Cooper Tire, but the work he most enjoyed was later owning his own business. It was during his time working as an engineer when Mark met and married Julie Englert. They made their home in the Auburn area and although their marriage later came to an end, they shared the love of two wonderful children, Brandon and Brittney. Mark considered his many loyal canine companions to be a part of his family, too, and Jimmy, his most recent, was no exception.

When Mark began his own business, Add-A-Deck, it started as a family affair as his father, Carl, and children, Brandon and Brittney assisted him with the manual labor. These were fun, family times they shared together, although it was somewhat entertaining as the Ellert’s are known for being quite stubborn and never, ever, wrong! Even so, Mark went on to design and build beautiful decks throughout the Fort Wayne area. Known for his quality workmanship, he made a steady living doing what he truly enjoyed.

Mark was a huge music fan. In fact, he saved every ticket stub from every concert he and his good friends, Jim Magnuson and Jim Letizia attended throughout the years. He counted Pink Floyd as his favorite group and of course he had all of their latest and greatest hits. Mark continued his love of sports well into adulthood. He had a passion for the Pittsburgh Steelers, originating from the “Steel Curtain” teams of the 1970s. His favorite player was Jack Lambert who he greatly admired.

The outdoors offered Mark solace each time he breathed in the fresh open air. He spent as much time outdoors as he could enjoying all it had to offer. A big rock and mineral enthusiast, Mark spent many hours tumbling rocks into beautiful collectibles. He loved fast cars and the more horsepower, the better. His first car was a Ford Mustang which was always shined and cleaned to perfection. His interest also included being a history buff as he enjoyed reading and learning as much as he could about World War II.

Fiercely independent and most often stubborn to the core, Mark was known by all for his larger-than-life personality. Humor was an important part of his demeanor and bringing smiles to those around him fueled it even more. While he absolutely had no filter, he did possess the talent for putting strangers at ease while making his friends and family comically uneasy, but it was just Mark’s way. His fiery zest for life and endless energy matched his fiery red hair, and those are some of the things that made him so endearing towards others. Gone yet never to be forgotten, Mark will be deeply missed by all who loved him.

Mark C. Ellert, 66, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, died on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at his home. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Brandon and Nicole Ellert of Dallas, Texas; his daughter, Brittney Ellert, of Fort Wayne; his brother and fiancé, Larry Ellert and Charlotte Frye, of North Carolina; sisters and brothers-in-law: Karen and Bruce LeVasseur, of Arvada, Colorado; Toni Garvin, of Angola, Lisa Sproat, of Garrett and Renee and Doug Harp, of Kendallville; his dog, Jimmy; and several nieces and nephews,

A funeral service for Mark will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, April 30, 2021, with Fr. Timothy Wrozek officiating with visitation one hour prior at Pinnington Funeral & Cremation Services, 502 N. Main St., Auburn. Visitation will also be held on Thursday, April 29, 2021, from 2-4 and 6-8 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery, Auburn. Memorial donations may be made to the ASPCA or to the American Heart Association. Please visit www.pinningtonfh.com to share a favorite memory of Mark and to sign his online guest book.

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