From Jim McPartland, co-founder and co-tournament director of the TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open:
It is with great sadness that I share with you the loss of John Mark Lemon, just a few months short of his 67th birthday. He died Dec. 15, 2021 in his home in Lenexa, Kansas.
As you all know, Mark was the true founder of the Greater Cedar Rapids Open, recruiting the likes of Joe DiNucci, Bob Brooks, Brad Thompson, Mike Hall and me in the fall of 1998 to start a Cedar Rapids tournament to rival the Waterloo Open.
Mark made it a point to engage, to teach, to mentor, to involve anyone and everyone along his life journey.
Mark had great respect for his family and his teachers and always wanted to help others be successful.
If you happened into any of the golf shops he was involved in, you would think “the staff here are go-getters!”
But I have recently come across a better description for Mark – He was, in my mind, a go-giver.
I will truly miss my friend.
The Iowa PGA Section published the following on Dec. 22:
John Mark Lemon, age 66, passed away on Dec. 15, 2021 in Lenexa, Kansas. To his friends he was known as Mark. Mark was born on Feb. 12, 1955, in Sparta, Illinois to John and Bonita Lemon.
Mark received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa. He participated on the men’s golf team while at Iowa.
Mark turned professional and had stints as an assistant professional at the Des Moines Golf & Country Club, Wakonda Club in Des Moines and teaching pro at AH Blank in Des Moines. Then he was head PGA professional at Otter Creek Golf Course in Ankeny, Iowa and Irv Warren Golf Course (Byrnes Park GC) in Waterloo, Iowa. In 1993, Mark became co-owner and built Airport National Public Golf Complex in Cedar Rapids. He sold that facility and retired to Kansas in 2019. Mark was a PGA member for nearly 39 years, having gained his Class A status on June 1, 1983.
Mark was the 1973 Sani Scholar, given by the Iowa Golf Association. He continued to serve on the Sani Scholarship Committee for multiple years.
In 1999, Mark and good friend Jim McPartland helped start the Greater Cedar Rapids Open, held at Hunter’s Ridge in Marion. This tournament was modeled after the Waterloo Open that Mark helped to administer during his time at Irv Warren Golf Course.
Mark was named the Captain for the PGA Professional Team at the 2019 Iowa Cup Matches held at Crow Valley Golf Club. The Professionals maintained the Cup over the Amateurs as the teams tied in a rain shortened event.
Mark loved golf and was the Iowa PGA Section Senior Player of the Year in 2005 and was Super Senior Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016. His other passions included fishing and hunting.
Mark is survived by his mom Bonita, sister Pam and brother Scott. He was preceded in death by his father John.
There will be no service of any type as that was Mark’s final request.