Surprise, AZ – Mark Rislov passed away on February 27, 2023 in Surprise, AZ.
Mark was born June 11, 1949 to Wallace and Mildred Rislov in Watertown, SD. The family moved to Houghton, SD, and later to Claremont, SD where he attended elementary school. In 1961 they moved to Cooperstown, ND.
During his time at the Cooperstown High School, he was an honor student and a talented athlete. He played for the Cooperstown Lynx boys basketball team that went to the State B Basketball Tournament, where they finished in 5th place and set 5 state records in 1966. He also set the pole-vaulting record of 12′ in 1967, which held for 17 years. He went on to play for the NDSU basketball team as a walk-on. The team scored over 100 points in every game and went undefeated. He was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and finished his college education with a business degree from NDSU.
Mark married his high school sweetheart, Vickie Ellingson in 1973. They moved to Thief River Falls, where Mark became the assistant manager of Bostwick’s department store, and Vickie was an elementary school teacher at the Marshall County Central School. They had two sons, Jeffrey Mark and Jay Thomas. When Bostwick’s closed its doors, he went on to work at Universal Screen Printing and Peterson Lumber.
Mark loved all kinds of sports. He bowled and was the secretary of the local league, where he and his boss won the city bowling championship one year. He also played softball in both MN and ND, where he was an exceptional shortstop and lead-off batter. His great love was the NDSU Bison and the MN Vikings. He loved fishing and deer hunting.
Mark coached his youngest son Jay in basketball, including his elementary team and the Lincoln High School freshman boys’ basketball team. Some called him Mr. Bostwick’s and some called him coach. He had a love of life and brought sunshine to many lives.
Mark was a member of the TRF Jaycees, was on the Board of Directors at Discovery Place and the Elks Club. He was also a leader of the Trinity Troops at Trinity Lutheran Church.
Mark was a loving, caring, and outstanding husband, father, brother, son, uncle, grandfather and friend. He loved life, and above all, his family and friends. He will be greatly missed and held forever in the hearts of those who knew him.
He is survived by his wife of 49 ½ years, Vickie; sons, Jeff (Ann) Rislov of Sartell, and Jay (Teri) Rislov of Woodbury; grandchildren, Addy, Max and Oliver Rislov.
He is also survived by his mother, Mildred; sister, Kay (Ed) Arnesen; brother, Dave (Connie) Rislov; father-in-law, Kenneth Ellingson; and brother-in-law, Larry (Mary) Ellingson.
He is proceeded in death by his grandparents, Leland and Marie Schwinger, Ivrin and Lydia Rislov; his father, Wallace Rislov; his brother, Larry Rislov; his mother-in-law, Orpha Ellingson; and infant nephew, Thomas Rislov.
A private family service was held Thursday, March 2, 2023 at his home in Surprise, AZ. He will be buried at the Middle Forest River Cemetery in Dahlen, ND at a later date.
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Mark Rislov, 73
