Mark A. Verhoff, age 66, passed away Saturday afternoon, January 11, 2020, at the Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, Kansas.

He was born May 25, 1953, at Lima, Ohio, the son of Virgil and Anita (Schroeder) Verhoff. As a young boy he attended elementary school at Saints Peter and Paul. He later attended high school in Pandora, Ohio. After his graduation, he attended the Ohio State University, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science in 1975. While attending Ohio State University he was a member of the intercollegiate Judging Team. Shortly after his graduation, he moved to Dekalb, Illinois, and began his career in swine production, working for DEKALB from 1975-1980 in DeKalb, Illinois, 1980-1997, Plains, Kansas, Land O’Lakes from 1997-2006, Plains, 2006-2012 Texas Farms, Perryton, Texas, and April, 2012 to present Kansas Smith Farms, Plains.

He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus Council 2979 for seventeen years, was a Fourth Degree member of Assembly 1302 for twenty-two years. He served two terms as mayor for the city of Plains from 1997-2004 and from 2013 to present. He was a member of the Seward County Community College Booster Club, the Liberal Beejays Booster Club. He was member of SWFTR since 1990 and served as a board member from 2008-present, was in charge of the Kismet Little Worlds Fair Fun Run for thirty years, a founder of the Frosty 5K since the mid 2000’s. He ran an average of 35-45 runs per year including races in Kansas, Oklahoma Panhandle, Texas and Colorado.

He is survived by two sisters, Margery (Verhoff) Sigley of Toledo, Ohio, and Lois (Verhoff) Huffman of Cary, North Carolina; and three brothers, Don Verhoff of Ottawa, Ohio, Guy (Barbara) Verhoff of Pandora, Ohio, and Glen Verhoff of Port Clinton, Ohio.

Vigil services will be held at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Plains. Holy Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church. Friends may call from 9:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday at Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary, Meade. Interment will be in the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery, Ottawa, Ohio.

The family would welcome memorials to the SWFTR or St. Patrick Catholic Church in care of the funeral home.

Personal condolences may be given to the family at www.fidlerormebachmanmortuary.com