Mark Ecke Holmes
Marriages
Darlene Jordan - 1987
Later Divorced in 2002
Obituaries
The Daily Sentinel page 6C - November 13, 2022
Mark Ecke Holmes, age
69, of Grand Junction,
Colorado, passed away
in his home on Monday,
November 7.
Mark was born on July
1, 1953, in Peoria, Illinois,
the son of William Holmes and Janice (Ecke) Holmes.
He spent most of his childhood in Indianapolis and
graduated from Findlay High School in Ohio in 1971.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Miami University
in Oxford, Ohio in 1975, and shortly after graduation,
he moved to Grand Junction, where he got his real estate
license and spent the next 30 years as a successful real
estate agent, first with Mesa Realty on the Grand Mesa
and then with Hill and Holmes Real Estate in Grand
Junction. He was known as one of the best realtors in
town. He married Darlene Jordan in 1987 and they
divorced in 2002. Mark and Darlene had one son
together, Luke David Holmes, born in 1990. Mark had
a strong faith and, over the years, was an active member
of both First Presbyterian Church and St. Joseph’s
Catholic Church.
Mark was a humanitarian, an activist, an adventurer,
a huge music fan, and an artist. Of the many concerts he
attended with his sister, Lisa, highlights included Bruce
Springsteen, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Todd Snider, Wilco,
Ryan Adams, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Steve
Earle. During his early years, Mark and his brother
David frequented the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
and witnessed the Indy 500 wins of the legendary A.J.
Foyt and both Bobby and Al Unser. This early exposure
to daredevilry instilled a sense of adventure in Mark.
He went skydiving, both solo and with his son Luke. In
1989, he and his father, Bill, trekked the Himalayas in
Nepal. Mark and Bill also traveled to Louisiana in 2005
to help with the Hurricane Katrina clean-up. Later in
life, inspired by the 2011 film “The Way,” Mark walked
the Camino in Spain, solo.
As an activist, Mark was greatly bothered by the
current political divide in this country, and anyone
who knew him knew he was a staunch advocate of
gun control and climate policy. He was particularly
concerned about threats to water rights and access, and
in 2016, he traveled to Standing Rock Reservation to
protest the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
As a landlord, Mark felt so strongly about the 2016
election that he refused to rent to anyone who supported
Donald Trump as a presidential candidate. This decision
landed him both local and national press.
Although Mark didn’t really see himself as an artist,
he was always making things. He painted, made art
out of tin cans, and gathered found objects to use in
his creations. In his last months of life, he had started
taking photography classes and was working on a
book of photos of the “back alleys” of Grand Junction.
Mark’s own backyard was a work of art in itself. He
had an ability to take what others would likely throw in
the trash and turn it into something beautiful. Mark’s
yard was also a testament to his humanitarian nature.
He kept a little free library in his front yard, which he
stocked with public donations. And one year, he planted
an edible garden that he invited others to share in.
Mark loved animals and always had a pet in his home.
His last cat, Farrah, never left his side. He was very
involved with End of the Trail Horse Rescue in Olathe,
where he donated generously and sponsored a donkey,
Pepperjack, whom he visited regularly.
.Mark will be best remembered for his big heart, and
he was often described as “the kindest person I’ve ever
met.” He cared deeply for his family and was a primary
caregiver for his parents in the last years of their lives.
His grandson, Trace, was the light of his life, and he
treasured the times they spent together. He gave his
whole heart, wholeheartedly, to anyone who would have
it and to anyone who needed it.
The biggest hardships in Mark’s life were the tragic
losses of his brother and best friend David in 1980 and
of his beloved son Luke in 2017. At the time of his
death, Mark had been in recovery for 16 years, and his
AA group was his biggest source of support for those
16 years. This group cared for him and carried him
through the toughest times in his life.
Mark is survived by sisters Kim Stahl (Charleston,
South Carolina) and Lisa Holmes (Boulder, Colorado),
brother-in-law Brad O’Sullivan (Boulder), stepsons
Ryan Jordan (Grand Junction) and Noah Jordan
(Windsor, Colorado), ex-wife and friend Darlene Jordan
Holmes (Grand Junction) grandson Trace, and nieces
and nephews Finn, Lauren, Ashley, Vance, Evan,
Katelyn, and Austin.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov.
19 at 11am at First Presbyterian Church, 3940 27 1/2
Rd., Grand Junction, CO 81506, to be followed by a
reception at which all will be invited to share stories
and memories. Contributions in Mark’s memory may be
made to the following: End of the Trail Horse Rescue,
5814 CO-348, Olathe, CO 81425 and/or The Alano
Club, 404 Glenwood Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81501.
