Rev. Mark R. Nemmers

Rev. Mark R. Nemmers, of Dubuque, died on Sunday, November 5th, at Stonehill Care Center. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 am, Thursday, November 9th, at Holy Spirit Parish, Holy Trinity Church with Most Rev. Thomas Zinkula officiating and Fr. Steve Garner as Homilist. Visitation for Father Mark will be from 3 to 6 pm on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at the Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, where a Wake Service will be held at 3 pm. Visitation will also be at Holy Trinity on Thursday from 9 am until time of Mass. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Father Mark was born on October 23, 1939, in Dubuque, Iowa, the son of Dr. Julian and Ann (Reger) Nemmers. He graduated from Loras College and later Mount Saint Bernard Seminary.  He was ordained a Catholic Priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque by Most Rev. Loras J. Watters on June 4, 1966. He first served as an Associate Pastor at Saint Raphael Cathedral in 1966, then at Saint Matthew in Cedar Rapids from 1966 until 1971, at Saint Joseph the Worker in Dubuque from 1971 to 1976, and at Saint Francis De Sales in Ossian from 1976 to 1977. He then worked in the Archdiocesan Metropolitan Tribunal, along with serving as chaplain at the Presentation Sisters Motherhouse. In 1988, he became pastor of Saint Theresa Parish, along with Assumption Parish, Sylvia Switch until 1998. He then served as pastor and later Sacramental Priest of Holy Trinity Church in Dubuque until 2007. He retired on July 14, 2009, and moved to Windsor Park, where he served as a Chaplain to the residents there.

Fr. Mark had a great love of music and was an accomplished organist. He donated his extensive collection of organ music to the University of Iowa. In his younger years, he loved travelling the world and, in particular, enjoyed numerous trips to Mexico. He was the family historian and was proud of his Luxembourger heritage. He chuckled when he recounted the time he visited the Nemmers’ ancestral village, where the locals put on a little parade in his honor. Fr. Mark genuinely enjoyed the relationships he formed with his parishioners. He often joked that the only reason that they liked him was because of his short homilies. He enjoyed trying new places to eat with his friends and parishioners.  His wit and dry sense of humor will be missed.

He is survived by his sister, Betty Kasel; his brother, Julian Nemmers, his brother, David Nemmers; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Virginia Loes; his sister, Charlotte Shanahan; and his nephew, Tony Loes.

The family would like to thank the residents of Windsor Park for their years of friendship and support that they gave to Fr. Mark. He considered his friends at Windsor Park a part of his extended family.

Memorials may be given to Hospice of Dubuque or a charity of your choice. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.