Mark Richard Trautschold

Mark Richard Trautschold passed into eternal rest on March 3, 2025, at the age of 72.  Born December 29, 1952, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Mark was the third of four children to Walter and Mildred Trautschold.  Mark lived an active childhood participating in many sports and a drum and bugle core. He also played the guitar and passed that love of music onto his children.  He married his high school sweetheart, Mary (Heinrich), in 1975.

Mark graduated from UW-Madison with degrees in political science and environmental studies with the goal of becoming a park ranger, but eventually found his lifelong career in the insurance industry.  After taking several positions at various companies, he joined Sentry Insurance in 1986 as a Director of Field Operations.  Mark retired from Sentry in 2017 as Chief Claims Officer.

Throughout the years, Mark and Mary relocated a number of times for Mark’s career, including stops in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Arizona, before settling at their longest stop in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  Mark and Mary were blessed with three children:  Ann Marie (Doedens), Matthew, and David.  During the kids’ childhoods, Mark spent time golfing, biking, playing rec sports, camping, coaching basketball and baseball, and serving as Cub Master for the boys’ Cub Scout troop.  He obtained his instrument-rated pilot’s license while living in Arizona and took up boating when the family moved back to Stevens Point spending many weekends helping the kids learn to ski, wakeboard, and wakesurf.  Mark and Mary bought a beautiful lake home in 2000 in the Minocqua area which they sold this past summer only to purchase another in Pewaukee. 

In retirement, Mark maintained his active lifestyle (some might say “restless”).  Mark stayed busy playing pickleball, visiting friends, playing pickleball, debating politics, playing pickleball, and creating endless projects at his lake home.  Mark and Mary were also able to take trips abroad and travel in their RV across the country to escape Wisconsin’s cold winters. After trying several locations, they established their preferred winter escape in Tucson, Arizona.

In 2022, Mark and Mary relocated to Brookfield, Wisconsin to be closer to their grandchildren and help care for their daughter, Ann Marie, who passed away in 2023 after a long battle with breast cancer.

Mark is survived by his wife Mary, two sons Matthew (Kendra) and David (Michel), son-in-law Mike Doedens, grandchildren Audrey (13), Nolan (11), Drew (6), Audrey (9), Lauren (21), and Nick (19), and siblings Mike (Mary), Toni (Mike Stoll), and Jim (Colette).  Although we will all miss his inappropriate jokes, infectious laugh, loud debate style, obsessively clean vehicles and organized garages, his family is comforted that he passed while playing pickleball and is now reunited with his daughter in heaven.

A memorial service for Mark will be held at Southbrook Church (11010 W Saint Martins Rd, Franklin WI 53132) on April 4, 2025. Visitation will be from 10:00 am to 11:30 am, with service starting at 11:30 am.

Special thanks to Bring’s Broadway Chapel in Tucson, Arizona for their support to the family as the out-of-state funeral home provider.