“To call Mark multi-talented is to damn him with faint praise,” said Foundation executive director Tracy Potter. “He was an exceptional graphic artist, skilled with his hands, every bit as much as he was the ultimate entertainer and living historian. He built everything for us: a beautiful diorama of On-a-Slant Village; a model of the Far West riverboat; an army wagon from parts; display cases and exhibit stands - not just designed, but built with saws, hammers, wood and paints. He could picture in his mind how exhibits should look and then make it happen. He was absolutely the heart and soul of every good thing the public saw at Fort Lincoln.”

Kenneweg, 56, may be best known as the Sergeant Major who barked orders at soldiers on the parade ground during the day and who was the Master of Ceremonies on stage at the melodramas. While he could act the part of a gruff non-commissioned officer, in truth Mark was gracious, gentle, and engaging. He was involved in his church and community, was annually an emcee at Norsk Hostfest and danced in the Northern Plains Ballet. Kenneweg was active in the National Association of Interpreters and had earned credentials as the only Certified Interpretive Trainer in North Dakota. In 2004 he was awarded with the Governor's Award for Front-Line Tourism Employee of the Year.

“Mark professionalized our living history operation,” said Potter, “but he did it with such a light touch, with a twinkle in his eyes, good humor and wit. To visitors from all over the world, Mark was the face of Fort Lincoln. He was born in Ohio, but he adopted North Dakota and North Dakota adopted him. He will be sorely missed. He is irreplaceable.”

General Custer's (Steve Alexander) message about the loss of the "Sergeant Major".

"The news hit me like a shot!  I am so deeply devastated by the death of the Sergeant Major.  Everything you wrote was right on and much much more.  We can not be there with everyone to share in the loss of such a profound friend and epitome of a true gentleman.  The Regiment and the Fort will be hard pressed to come up with any kind of replacement.  We had joked with him in the study about his fall last summer off the bridge to the Mandan village.  Suggesting we call it "Sergeant Major Bridge" like the creek in Oklahoma was called after the Washita, "Sergeant Major Creek."  "Don't you have to be dead first?" he responded.

I never thought he would die.  Mark was so full of life and he made everyone, I mean everyone feel good.  I agree, there was nothing that man couldn't do.  Even the night of the banquet, when our entertainment didn't show, we knew everything would be alright, because the Sergeant Major was in the audience!  He had his accordion and for the time he was on stage everyone was spell bound, including the people he brought on stage to play his accordion.  He made them look good, he made General Custer look good and he made Fort Lincoln look good.

The Sergeant Major maybe transferred to another Regiment to serve with a Higher Officer.  But what he left behind to all who knew and loved him will be here for a long time to come and in each corner of a Fort he was so much the heart and soul of."

The General
Craig Schmidt

I want to express that I am deeply honored to have been asked by Mark’s family to pay tribute to him. For those of you who don’t know me, I am Craig Schmidt.  My wife, Mary and our family have been long-time friends of Mark and his family. I’d like to take a few moments to recall some dear and treasured memories.

I got to know Mark in the late 1970’s, when he came to Dickinson to work for the TV station there.  We seemed to instantly bond because Mark even in those days, had an infectious sense of humor, and it will always be his humor that I will look back on and appreciate with very dear fondness. Like Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd, he was a wild and crazy guy!

It was during this time that he met Danny, and they set a date to marry. I had the privilege of contributing a few spoken words at their wedding.  I recall encouraging them to read the bible, and to live up to it’s principles in their life together. I think we can all agree, Mark certainly did his part.

Mark had a talent and a passion for a number of hobbies and interests, and I have met few people that took on the quest for excellence like Mark did.

As an Artist – Mark was a splendid cartoonist, and a skillful pencil portrait artist.  So much so that some of his pencil portraits of decades ago are prominently displayed in our home to this very day, maybe yours as well.  His attractive business logos contributed to the success of ours and many other small businesses.

Mark was what I would call a “master model builder”, he would build plastic model airplane kits that were fit for display in the Smithsonian Institute. Mark didn’t just build model airplane kits, he researched them, investigated the builders of the original, learned about the structure of the plane, and he found out everything he could about the pilots who flew them.

Furthermore, Mark constructed models of ships and boats as well as a full size all wood canoe. He built antique gun reproductions with designs inlaid in metal, absolute collectors items, masterpieces. With various glues, polyester resins & paints all over, even after he showered Mark could really stink up the place. However, all his creations were built with an impeccable eye to detail, and all the research associated with the piece, including the people who used it. Mark had a passion for history. Not as the textbooks told history, but as world events were lived out. . . . how world events were experienced among in the people who lived through them. See Mark was a people person. He really enjoyed people. And to him, history was ALIVE!

Mark’s professional and personal achievements act as a sound foundation upon which his life was built. Mark always worked with a sense of optimism, always worked hard, at all times with hope, with purpose, always with a sense of humor. As a manager and administrator, Mark headed production departments in the broadcast industry, that’s where his managerial skills were developed. As an entrepreneur, he opened his own art studio, that was the businessman and the artist. As a performer, Mark had various emcee and announcing opportunities, that was the Actor. As a father, we saw Mark as a fine role model and loving caregiver to his children, that was the father figure in him. As a husband, Mark was a faithful friend, partner and helpmate who stood by Danny through thick and thin, that demonstrated his level of commitment. And as a Christian, Mark was a contributor to God’s church as we worshipped with Mark and many had better marriages because of Mark and Danny’s contribution through their pre-marriage instruction, that was his practical faith.

As a close friend, we many times had the opportunity to get together and laugh. There were many a New Years Day when we would laugh so hard our stomachs just ached. There were other times when we would agonize together over loss, over disappointments, those times when life just didn’t go the way we had hoped. Sometimes it was situations in my life, sometimes his. Sometimes life took us apart living hundreds of miles away from each other, other times life brought us together again as our families lived close together. Now death has separated us to eternity. But if eternity is anything like life, we shall one day be together again.

Over the years, we were involved in each other’s families as they grew. We were of the first to know that their daughter, Adrienne would be born. Mark and Danny were first to know that our son, Kelley would be born.  Mark and Danny have been wonderful godparents to our middle son, Brandon.  And Mark & Danny’s son is still affectionately known as La-Lucas, as that’s what our son Ryan called him when they were little.

We always seemed to find enjoyment in each other’s company, refuge in each other’s homes, a meal at each other’s table, and a loving place in each other’s heart. For that, words cannot describe the gratitude I have, for memories don’t get any sweeter than that. And all that and more, is the Mark J Kenneweg that I knew.

And then there was Fort Lincoln.  All of these things I’ve been recounting to this point - preceded Mark’s career at Ft Lincoln. I hope you can see how everything before his position as Sergeant Major, prepared him to BE Sergeant Major. The Bismarck Tribune in this past Tuesday’s edition said of Mark “he was Ft. Lincoln.” This “high-profile” role is only part of this man, and there are many assembled here that know Mark primarily as Sergeant Major Kenneweg. But as we’ve discovered, there was far more to his life than Sgt Major. And THAT is what makes him AMAZING. In Mark, there was depth, depth of spirit and depth of character, qualities that are becoming more and more rare in the world today. And more than that, character? Yes, Mark was also quite a character.

It seems strange really, paying tribute to one of my best friends. See Mark was one of those friends whom I thought I’d be sitting next to in old age (imagine this if you can) our wives in the house, Mark and I on a porch somewhere rocking the afternoon away, reminiscing and laughing about life, recalling life’s twists and remembering life’s turns, enjoying each other’s company, sharing a swig of each other’s Geritol, then I’d turn to Mark, as he’d turn to me, as we’d give each other a wink, the signal to bring out the good stuff, the stuff laced with viagra, and basking in the warmth of his friendship and sharing infectious laughter.

But old duffers we will never be, for God has other plans, and here we are today... paying tribute, saying our goodbyes, paying our respects, dreaming what could have been, and saddened that they’ll never be.

The passing of Mark has been a great shock to our entire community.  Heck he got front-page coverage in the Tribune this week. And look around you in this church today! I’ve heard it said that a man’s worth could be measured by the people who show up at his funeral. By all accounts today, Mark is the richest man I know. But not from the number of people I see in front of me. But in the broken hearts I see in front of me. From the very day I met him, I admired his character. I admired his spirit, and today I admire his life.

On occasions such as these, especially when a man like Mark has been taken so young, one is especially reminded of the brevity of life and the fragility of life, but also the utmost respect for life . . . . and love of life. For now that Mark is passed, “these three things remain . . . .  faith, hope, love, but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor 13:13

Part of the way I endure Mark’s death is that I’ll keep him alive in my heart. He only dies if I let go. He’s one of the special ones. Don’t let go!

My fellow mourners, our future together, is one. 

Together we are called by the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, to support Mark’s family with our thoughts, our prayers, our acts of friendship, and our acts of love.

Mark was a man who had a special place in my life, he had a special place in all of our lives. May his spirit continue to inspire us in each of our hearts.

When roll is called in heaven, Mark! We’ll be seein’ ya, again!
Sergeant Major, may you rest in peace.

The Sergeant Major

Good afternoon, did you arrive by rail?
These were the words spoken,
Before the telling of every tale.

He had a special talent, and was so good at what he did,
He could entertain them all,
From the oldest person to the youngest kid.

And if ever there was a crisis that were to arise,
We’d just call on the Sergeant Major
And watch the magic unfold before our eyes.

There were times he made us laugh
There were times he made us sigh
We didn’t always see things exactly eye to eye.

Who made this coffee?
Well, you made it too strong!
Why don’t you drink tea?
What do you mean it’s just wrong!

We remember all these good times,
And agree that no one could ever take his place,
And then the tears start rolling gently down our face.

But then we stop all of our frowning,
And turn it into the biggest smile,
As we remember all of his clowning,
And tell him we’ll meet up again, after awhile.

That we will miss you until then,
There is no doubt my friend,
But we can say to you, without the slightest waiver
We will never forget our leader, our friend,
Our Sergeant Major.

You will always be remembered, missed & loved Mark,
Just keep them entertained up there until we get there.

~ Written by Kandi Mossett on behalf of the Interpretive Staff at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park ~