Obituary for Mark Hixson
Mark Howard Hixson, 58, of El Dorado, Kan., formerly of McLouth, Kan., died Friday, April 29, 2022, surrounded by family, at his sons home in Leavenworth. He was born June 30, 1963, in Lawrence, Kan., the son of William Roland Hixson and Mary Louise Cox.
He is survived by his mother, Mary Cox Bartlett of Rossville, Kan.; his father, William R. Hixson, of Dayton, Tenn.; his stepfather, Butch Bartlett of McLouth, Kan.; his son and best friend, Mark Hixson Jr., of Leavenworth; a step-daughter, Danielle McGee of Leavenworth; three grandchildren, Ayron and Rylee Hixson and Makayla McGee; the mother of his son, Lorraine Kern Ford; and a sister, Crystal (Chick) Williams.
Mark served in the United States Navy. After the Navy, he went to work at the Kansas State Penitentiary (now the Lansing Correctional Facility) on June 1, 1987. After a short tour of duty at the Toronto and El Dorado Honor Camps, Mark came to the El Dorado Correctional Facility Central Unit when he promoted to CSI in March 1992. Mark left EDCF in 1995 to open Butler County Tree Service and later returned to the KDOC in April 2004. Mark’s work in portions of five different decades with the KDOC brought him vast knowledge and insight into corrections, which he shared with those who worked for him over the years. Additionally, Mark actively participated in several groups through his involvement with the Crisis Resolution Team, as the EDCF Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, and helped work to establish mutual aide agreements with other community agencies. He was also the liaison for the Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics in El Dorado, Kan.
He enjoyed fishing, shooting and riding his motorcycle in his free time. Mark loved his family and friends and cherished spending time with them. He will be greatly missed.
A celebration of life will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the R.L. Leintz Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.
He is survived by his mother, Mary Cox Bartlett of Rossville, Kan.; his father, William R. Hixson, of Dayton, Tenn.; his stepfather, Butch Bartlett of McLouth, Kan.; his son and best friend, Mark Hixson Jr., of Leavenworth; a step-daughter, Danielle McGee of Leavenworth; three grandchildren, Ayron and Rylee Hixson and Makayla McGee; the mother of his son, Lorraine Kern Ford; and a sister, Crystal (Chick) Williams.
Mark served in the United States Navy. After the Navy, he went to work at the Kansas State Penitentiary (now the Lansing Correctional Facility) on June 1, 1987. After a short tour of duty at the Toronto and El Dorado Honor Camps, Mark came to the El Dorado Correctional Facility Central Unit when he promoted to CSI in March 1992. Mark left EDCF in 1995 to open Butler County Tree Service and later returned to the KDOC in April 2004. Mark’s work in portions of five different decades with the KDOC brought him vast knowledge and insight into corrections, which he shared with those who worked for him over the years. Additionally, Mark actively participated in several groups through his involvement with the Crisis Resolution Team, as the EDCF Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, and helped work to establish mutual aide agreements with other community agencies. He was also the liaison for the Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics in El Dorado, Kan.
He enjoyed fishing, shooting and riding his motorcycle in his free time. Mark loved his family and friends and cherished spending time with them. He will be greatly missed.
A celebration of life will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the R.L. Leintz Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.