COLONEL MARK L. HOKE, UNITED STATES ARMY (RETIRED) Colonel Mark L. Hoke, 76, of Frederick, died on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at the Frederick Memorial Hospital. He was the loving husband of Janet Marie Felton Hoke, to whom he was married for 54 years. Born March 25, 1936, in Frederick, he was the son of the late LeRoy Austin and Ruth Naomi Ford Hoke. He received his early education in Frederick and later received his BS degree from Washington College in 1957 and entered the U.S. Army as a Private. He received his commission from the Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia in December 1958, and three days later married the former Janet M. Felton of Frederick. During the couple's 28-year military career, Mark served in key command and staff positions at every level of military command from a rifle squad up to and including the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Following his tour in OJCS, Mark was selected to become the 27th Commander of Fort Detrick in his hometown. He assumed command on 8 August 1983 and passed command to his successor on that same date in 1986. On 31 August 1986, he retired from active duty in the grade of Colonel. At the urging of members of the community, Mark filed as a candidate for County Commissioner of Frederick County, Maryland and won a seat on the Board in the November election of 1986. On 1 December, he began serving a four-year term as Vice President of the Board. He opted not to seek re-election and left public office in December 1990. In December 1994, he began serving another four-year term, this time as the President of the Board. He again chose not to seek re-election and returned to private life in December 1998. Mark received his MA degree from Central Michigan University in 1980. As a County Commissioner, he was the liaison to or a member of the Economic and Community Development Commission, Frederick Council of Governments, Frederick Community College Board of Trustees, and the Frederick Airport Commission. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Washington Council of Governments. In his private life, he has served as President of the Central Maryland Catholic Charities Advisory Board, on the Board of Directors of the United Way, and the Chamber of Commerce of Frederick County, Maryland. He is a Life Member of AMVETS Post #2, a member of the Frederick Rotary Club and the Francis Scott Key Memorial Foundation. He is a past President of the Sgt Lawrence Everhart Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution and the Fort Detrick Alliance, Inc. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Friends of Catholic Education. Colonel Hokes' military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with 4 campaign stars, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge. On 4 April 1984, Mark was awarded the Order of Military Medical Merit and on 16 April 1999 he was inducted into the United States Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Georgia. On 20 February 2008, he was awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor; the highest award that organization may present. Besides his wife, he is survived by three children, Mark LeRoy Hoke, Jr, of Luketts,, VA; David Jerome Hoke and wife, Therese Ann Carter Hoke, along with their daughters, Alicia Felton Hoke, Brianna Therese Hoke and Colleen Elizabeth Hoke, all of Rogers, AR; and one daughter, Elizabeth Felton McLean and husband, Bryan Neal McLean, of Hanover, PA; three grandchildren,; one sister, LaTricia Ann Giertz, of Avon, CT; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9pm on Sunday, January 13 at the Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, 106 East Church Street, Frederick. Funeral services will be held at 11am on Monday, January 14 from Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 118 East Second Street, Frederick. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated by Father Lawrence K. Frazier. Interment with military honors will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Friends of Catholic Education, Inc., 53 E. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701 or the Historical Society of Frederick County, 24 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701. Online condolences may be shared with the family at keeneybasford.com.
