Captain Mark Andess Garner, 30, was the Commander of B Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Hohenfels, Germany. He was killed 6 July 2009 from injuries sustained in an IED blast in the Agrandab District of Afghanistan. A native of State Road, North Carolina and a graduate of Elkin High School and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Mark died doing the job he loved. He was a committed soldier who loved his family, his country and the Army life. A runner and enthusiastic traveler, Mark often said that he loved his wife, Nickayla, and he loved traveling, and nothing could be better than traveling with his wife. He visited and explored the cultures of 52 countries in the last 12 years and was a passionate adventurer. Mark treasured his parents and his sisters and often spoke fondly of his time growing up in the Elkin area. He will be remembered by his family, friends and fellow soldiers as intelligent, athletic, confident, cheerful and optimistic, always with a ready smile and a word of encouragement and support. Mark leaves his beloved wife, Nickayla Myers-Garner of Parsberg, Germany, formerly of Elkin; his parents, Don and Beth Garner of State Road, NC; his sisters, Jo Garner of Durham, NC and Rachel Garner Slawter Matt and children-Liz, Luke, and Ethan of State Road, NC; his grandparents, Jo Ann Hughes and the late Leonard Hughes, Jr., of Elkin and Louvene Garner and the late Kirby Garner of Red Springs, NC; his parents-in-law, Dwayne and Barbara Myers of Elkin, NC, and his brothers-in-law, Chad & Zach Sybil and children-Jake and Robert Myers of Elkin-Jonesville, NC. Upon completion of the Infantry Officer's Basic Course and Ranger School, Captain Garner was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne, as well as the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Fort Bragg, NC. While there he served as an Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Battalion S-1 where Captain Garner spent two tours in Iraq. Upon completion of the Infantry Captains' Career Course in December 2006, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment where he served as the Battalion S-4 and Bravo Company Commander. He was recently serving as a Company Commander in Afghanistan. Captain Mark A. Garner's awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Ranger Tab. Posthumously, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the NATO Medal with International Security and Assistance Force clasp. The loss of Captain Mark Garner is not only a loss to his family, friends, and soldiers, but is a major loss to society as a whole. In lieu of flowers, Mark had requested that his memory be honored with donations to the CPT Mark A. Garner Scholarship Fund c/o 105 Westover Drive, Elkin, NC 28621. Please see www.RememberingMarkGarner.com for more details. Visitation will be held 17 July at 6pm and the Funeral will be held 18 July at 2pm both at the Elkin First Baptist Church, NC. Burial with full military honors will follow at Hollywood Cemetery in Elkin. For more information on the services, including maps, please see www.RememberingMarkGarner.com or call Hodges Funeral Home at 336 526-4460. The family wishes to thank the community for its warm kindness and support.
