Mark Ackerman Goldy gently passed away at home on Tuesday, 27 August 2023 at the age of 87. Mark was the son of Lorraine Goldy (Ackerman) and Mark Alexander Goldy. He was born on 3 March 1936 in Medford, Oregon and spent his early childhood in Medford until the age of 5. At 5 years old his parents divorced and that was when Mark and Lorraine returned to Kanab where they lived with Lorraine’s parents Creely Harry (C.H.) and Susan Vilate Ackerman (Hansen) at 88 South 100 West. C.H. managed Kanab Equitable (Dukes). Mark then grew up in Kanab attending elementary school and high school while Lorraine taught at the High School in the 60s. In high school Mark played sports, as most boys who attended KHS did at that time, and made some lifelong friends such as George Kirby and Bain Swapp. 

After graduation from KHS Mark attended the University of Utah on a Naval ROTC scholarship. At “the U” Mark met, and married, Rosemary Walker. They were married for 47 years before Rosemary passed in 2005. After graduating from the University of Utah Mark entered into U.S. Navy pilot training with initial stations at Memphis, Tennessee and Pensacola, Florida. Mark earned his “wings of gold” from U.S. Navy pilot training and continued on to specialized training on the P-2 aircraft which was known for its ability to track and hunt submarines. Mark and Rosemary’s U.S. Navy career (because it’s done as a team and not alone) took them to places far and wide. The first posting was to Barber’s Point, Hawaii, followed only a short time later by Iwakuni, Japan. Then came their first “shore side” duty with Mark as the Naval attaché to the U.S. embassy in Rome, Italy. After Rome, Mark returned to flying the P-2 aircraft out of Whidbey Island, Washington which included two unaccompanied deployments to the far east which were based in the Philippines and Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. Upon returning to the U.S. Mark, and the family, moved to Newport, Rhode Island where Mark attended the Naval War College. After a short 10 months he was transferred to the Atlantic fleet admirals staff based out of Norfolk, Virginia onboard the cruiser USS Newport News. The next, and final, duty station for Mark in his U.S. Navy career was shoreside duty in Camp Smith, Hawaii where Mark was attached to the office of Naval Intelligence. After a total of 20 years of service Mark retired from the U.S. Navy as a Commander (O-5) and proceeded to enjoy “Island Life” in Hawaii with Rosemary. They also traveled the world some more with trips to Scandinavia, Portugal and even Russia, or the U.S.S.R as it was known in those years. 

In 1990 Mark and Rosemary made the decision to return to the mainland and move back to Kanab and care for Mark’s aging mother Lorraine. Unfortunately, not long after returning to Kanab, Lorraine passed away and they became caretakers of the family property at 88 S. 100 W. while they lived in a modern home in south Kanab. Mark and Rosemary had a revolving door of visitors and family while in Kanab. The people they met in their world travels came to visit and they would picnic to favorite places on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion Canyon, and other places. After Rosemary passed away in 2005 Mark continued to travel throughout the west visiting family in Boise, Idaho and Truckee, California while continuing to host visitors in Kanab. He also maintained the property at 88 S. 100 W. where many in Kanab would see him riding his mower. Mark maintained the property until the spring of 2023 when he was no longer able to do so.  

Mark is survived by three children, Mark Jr., Idaho, Paul, Florida and Elizabeth, California. He has 7 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.  

Graveside services are at Kanab City Cemetery on Thursday, 31 August 2023, at 3pm. Following graveside services there is an open house at 70 E. Red Shadow Circle, Kanab, for anyone who would like to visit and share fond memories of Mark. Services were arranged with Mosdell Mortuary. 

Mark’s family would like to express their thanks to everyone in the Kanab community who helped and supported him in his final years. Caregivers, housekeepers, and especially his neighbors on Red Shadow Circle.