Mark Allan Koeppl

MOUNT HOREB- Mark Allan Koeppl, DVM, age 66, passed away in an accident on December 6, 2024.

Mark’s warmth of spirit, kindness of heart, and love for life were unforgettable to anyone lucky enough to know him. He was a skilled emergency veterinarian who saved the lives and eased the suffering of countless animals. He had a sharp intellect but never took himself - or most things - too seriously, choosing instead to make his way through life’s many opportunities and obstacles with a spirit of adventure.

Born in Milwaukee to Ron and Mary, Mark’s earliest memories are of exploring the wonders of nature, catching pollywogs and turtles. His surviving family includes his father; sisters, Kathy (Dave) and Karen (Dan); along with many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins; his mother-in-law, Donna; and sisters-in-law, Dale (Ted) and Kelly (Joey).

He spent the final 39 years of his life with Sheryl McGlamery, who loved him, and loves animals every bit as much as he did. The two were married in Hawaii 21 years ago and shared countless adventures together, from Wisconsin to Costa Rica, where they spent many winters. Mark’s life brimmed with the whimsy and fun of a Doctor Who escapade and had the gravitas and philosophical poetry of a Deadwood episode. With his long hair, trademark glasses, and love of a good story, he was part farmer, part hippie, part businessman, and was always doing, thinking or saying something interesting.

Mark earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1984. He interned in western Massachusetts, where he discovered that all the “cool” cases came in at night, after which he headed to West Bridgewater and worked at an ER clinic there, where he met Sheryl. When he returned to Wisconsin in 1988, she came with him, and they both devoted themselves to helping animals.

Mark got a job at the first emergency veterinary clinic in Madison, making it a first-class operation that bettered the lives not only of pets, but also the people who loved them. He “retired” in 2015 to spend more time farming, but Mark couldn’t keep himself away from the excitement of helping heal animals that were suffering, and he was soon back at it. In his spare time, he loved working on the farm he and Sheryl shared. Mowing was his “Zen” time, and he loved nothing more than cruising across the rural landscape with his beloved dog bounding joyfully beside him. Their home, an old farm on Dead End Road that they bought from the bank after finding it in a newspaper ad, was a haven for countless species, from bison and people to dogs, cats, chickens, pigs and more. They were fortunate to have Mark, Tammy and Josh Judd as neighbors and friends.  

He got into bison farming because he thought it was the right thing to do, and because he correctly suspected it would be fun. “It was 1996, and I thought, ‘I’d like to have some buffalo,’” he once said. “I always thought they were really cool, and my species was pretty bad to theirs.”

Mark was good to his bison herd and good to countless other species of animal, including his special girl, Lilly. He was good to his human friends, too.

He became something of a celebrity when, in his early days raising bison, one of the animals escaped and led its pursuers on the “Great Buffalo Hunt” that was featured on the news.

To his friends, it seems unfair and perplexing that a man so vibrant and kind is gone. But from Mark they learned that life is full of things that defy explanation or understanding, and the best anyone can do is embrace the unknown and buckle up for a great ride, just like Mark always did. “Bison perplex me all the time,” he once mused. “That’s just one of the things I love about them.”

Memorials may be directed to the Madison Cat Project or any animal charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb

Funeral & Cremation Care

500 N. Eighth St.

(608) 437-5077