Mark Cairns

Mark Cairns, age 53 of Alexandria, formerly of the Appleton area, died Saturday, December 28, 2019 in the St. Cloud Hospital from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.  Visitation will be held Friday, January 10, 2020 from 5-7 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Zion Lutheran Church in Appleton.  Visitation will resume from 10-11 a.m., followed by the memorial service at 11 a.m., Saturday, January 11, 2020 at the church.  Pastor Roger Fears will officiate.  Burial will be in the Appleton City Cemetery.

Mark John Cairns was called home to his Heavenly Father on Saturday, December 28, 2019, at CentraCare Hospital, St. Cloud, MN, following a motor vehicle accident. He had reached the age of 53 years and 3 months. He was born September 28, 1966, in Appleton, MN to John and Sandra Quaal Cairns. He was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Appleton where he was a life-long member. He was raised on a dairy farm with his siblings. He graduated from Appleton High School in 1985. He attended NDSU for 1 ½ years and then returned home to farm. He and his dad also worked for Hydro Engineering in irrigation. Mark met the love of his life, Tina Matter, in November of 1993. They lived on the Cairns farm site and moved to Glenwood in 2001. Currently, they live in Alexandria, Minnesota. Mark did carpentry work, semi-truck driving, and presently was the nursery manager at a large hog farm near Hoffman, MN.

Mark had an amazing work ethic and prided himself on being the best. He loved working outside and in his shop. Mark has shown us what a workaholic looks like, to be accepting of what life hands us and how to be content. He was a loyal friend and would help anyone at any time. He had a dry sense of humor and lived life to the fullest. Mark’s last gift was the gift of his very self as a donor, given so that others may have the hope of life and health. Mark will be missed by many.

Mark is survived by his fiancé, Tina Matter of Alexandria; mother, Sandra (Chuck) Tatge of Appleton; father, John (Terry Witte) Cairns of Forsyth, MO; sister, Marcia (Brad) Wehe of Grand Forks, ND; sister, Melanie (Duncan McDonald) Cairns of Grand Forks, ND; nieces, Kelsey and Karlee Wehe; nephews, Matthew Wehe and Alex McDonald of Grand Forks, ND; aunts, Barbara Morseth of Montevideo, Pat (Warren) Shiroma of Guston, KY, and Audrey Forrette of Sioux Falls, SD; Tina’s family of sisters, brothers, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews; cousins; and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Howard and Alvene Cairns and Gilman and Alice Quaal; uncles, David Cairns, Jim Cairns, Gordon Quaal, Bob Morseth, and Pierre Forrette. Blessed be the memory of Mark Cairns.