Lieutenant Colonel Mark Weber served 23 years in the US Army, including five years as an enlisted soldier in the Minnesota National Guard and nineteen years on active duty as a commissioned officer. He was stationed throughout the United States, at the Pentagon, in Saudi Arabia and in Iraq. His awards included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and the Combat Action Badge. First diagnosed with Stage 4 gastrointestinal cancer in 2010, Mark was told he had months to live. He continued to work, give speeches and write until his death on 13 June 2013. Markpassed away at home in Rosemount, Minnesota, with his wife, Kristin, and their three sons, Matthew, Joshua and Noah, at his side. He was 41. His wish to die at home, embraced by love, with a view of his beloved garden, was granted to him.