Early on the morning of July 29th Mark Veronen died unexpectedly in his home on Bad Medicine Lake. Mark was a force of nature and truly left his mark on all who knew him, He will be remembered for his charismatic personality, ability to make each person feel important, his teaching legacy, athletic ability, and his vital role in carrying on the family mission as chief partner of Veronen’s Resort through its 80th anniversary year of operation. His death, though unexpected and devastating to all left behind, also freed him from his earthly body that had been withered by the challenges of 22 years of dealing with Parkinson's Disease.

Mark was born on October 23rd 1957 to Bill and Gertie Veronen in Detroit Lakes, MN. He was the youngest and most adored of 5 siblings. He attended Holy Rosary Elementary, Holmes Junior High, and Detroit Lakes Community High School. Notably, Mark was Captain of his High School football team in 1976. Mark also excelled in wrestling, basketball, and track.

Although Mark had scholarship offers to play football in college, he elected to move to Texas where siblings resided to attend the University of Houston. He obtained his degree in physical education and history. It was during his long and rich educational journey that Mark met the love of his life, Donna Walizcek when she hired him to work at the YMCA. Together they shared a passion for being active and enjoying the outdoors. They married on August 17th 1985 in Crown Point, Indiana.

Mark and Donna started their teaching career in Texas as physical education teachers and returned to teach at Bemidji High School in Minnesota in 1990. Mark as a teacher and a coach had the ability to instill a fire in his students. He taught them that their courage and hard work would enable them to achieve their goals. Many former students have shared how his words and passions have continued to inspire them throughout their lives.

Mark always returned to his roots on Bad Medicine Lake to help carry on the family legacy and tradition of summer resort life at Veronen’s. Mark was skilled with words and rhythms; he composed poems and sauna songs. He and Donna lived year-round at the lake and were the primary operators of the resort, after Bill and Gertie passed in 1995 and 1996. It was always his mission to run the resort with the same spirit it had since 1946. The primary goal was for families to make memories and have fun. Over the years, resort guests evolved from friends to extended family. He loved life and adopted a Tom Sawyer style that turned mundane tasks into fun. Young children would want to jump on the pickup truck so they could join Mark in joyfully hauling garbage to the dump. Even backbreaking labor became a party with Mark.

Mark’s life on Bad Medicine Lake made him a passionate steward of the Lakes and the forest. He was an out of the box thinker who was an articulate champion of the common good.

Mark had a very wide circle of life-long friends. He was always up for an adventure, a friendly game of Scrabble or cribbage, a late night around a campfire, or a visit on the beach. Mark had a great love for waterskiing, volley-vicious, basketball, frisbee, fitness training, fishing, and hunting.

Mark modeled Sisu, the Finnish word which means courage and fortitude in the face of great adversity, with his indomitable spirit which manifested in the way he held his head high while holding fierce but loving eye contact. He will always be an integral part of Veronen’s Resort and Bad Medicine Lake. Mark was known to say with wonder in his voice, “I can't believe I get paid to get people to play and get to play with them!”

Mark is survived by family, those he made family, friends, colleagues, students, and lake community. His presence in their lives has marked people with a desire to do better, be better, love more, and celebrate our wonderous creation.

A celebration of his life is planned for July 24, 2027 at his beloved Veronen’s Resort and Campground on Bad Medicine Lake.