Mark Caya

Mark Clifford Caya, 76, of Mandan, died May 1, 2025, at CHI Hospital with his wife, Bette, by his side.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 AM on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Christ the King Catholic Church in Mandan with Fr. Fred Harvey as celebrant. Graveside service will follow at North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4-6 PM on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home, Mandan, with a Prayer Service at 6 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church Friday.

Mark was born July 9, 1948, in Bismarck, the oldest of five children to Clifford and Faye (Hohbein) Caya. He was raised and educated in Mandan and as a kid Mark played baseball and basketball. He liked old cars and spinner and baby moon hubcaps, which he put on his dad's 1963 Chevy. Mark went deer hunting with his dad and he liked to fish. In his younger days he was always reading Hot Rod magazines and currently he liked "The Tin Can Sailor." Mark loved music and for a short time in high school played guitar in a band. On June 27, 1964, 15-year-old Mark met the love of his life, 15-year-old Bette Clouston, from Mandan. In January 1966, at age 17, Mark enlisted in the US Navy. The Navy had a promotion that if you enlist at 17 you would be discharged the day before your twenty-first birthday. In May 1966, Mark graduated from Mandan Senior High School and in June he left for the Naval Training Center in San Diego, California. He started out serving on the USS Morton DD 948 (Destroyer). While home on leave, Mark married Bette, his high school sweetheart, on March 4, 1967, at Christ the King Church in Mandan. In April 1967, Mark departed on the USS Morton to Vietnam. The USS Morton was in the Vietnam War for the " WestPac Cruise 1967". They were operating in Vietnamese waters, and served as gunfire support line for the Marines. The Morton was involved in numerous operations and had received hostile fire many times. In November 1967, the USS Morton returned to San Diego and Bette moved to California to be with Mark. In 1968, Mark took a transfer to the USS Jason AR-8 (Naval Tender Ship) and on July 8, 1969, Mark was discharged from the Navy. Mark and Bette returned to Mandan where their sons, Scott and Ryan, were born. Family was the world to Mark and he loved them deeply. Mark was employed by Interstate Brands (Sweetheart Bakery) for 21 years until it closed. He then was employed by Bridgeman Dairy/ Land O Lakes for 11years, retiring on December 31, 2005, at the age of 57. Mark was a member of The American Legion. He became Catholic since he was attending Masses while his sons were altar boys at Christ the King Church. He enjoyed seeing his friends from the TIE group and enjoyed the past and current emails from his USS Morton shipmate, Ltjg. Richard (Dick) Gohman from Bountiful, Utah.

August 2008, was the beginning of Mark's lung problems. Over the last several years Mark would be hospitalized several times with pneumonia. He was a fighter and he was always able to make it home.

On April 1, 2025, he was hospitalized with COPD and double lung aspiration pneumonia. He fought a very courageous battle but sadly on May 1, 2025, we had to let him go. He will remain in our hearts forever. Mark was a beloved husband, dad, papa to his grandkids, and a loved brother.

He will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 58 years, Bette, of Mandan; two sons, Scott (Brandi) Caya, Mandan and Ryan (Alyssa) Caya, Mandan; 5 grandchildren who he cherished, Alexis and Marshal and Hannah, Eden, and Luke; 2 brothers and 2 sisters, Gerry (Billie Ann) Caya, Grant (Lori) Caya, and LuAnn (Scott) Myers, all of Bismarck and Sally Wicklund and fiancée, Larry Klimek, Farmington, MN; in-laws, Ken Clouston, Gene (Betty) Clouston, and Kay (Steve) Markel; 2 aunts, Bea Hohbein, Ashby, MN and Charlotte Hohbein, Bismarck; as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, great-great nieces, cousins, and countless friends; as well as his close friends, Tom & Darlene Kautzman.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Faye Caya; in-laws, Kenneth and Marion Clouston; and sister-in-law, Gail Clouston.

Special thanks to his pulmonologist, Dr. Monica Paulo and Deb Hellman, FNP-C of the Heart & Lung Clinic, as well as Dr. Somsak Kriengkrairut “Dr K” (deceased); his rheumatologist, Dr. Nowarat Songsirideji (Dr. Song) of Sanford Bismarck; the Bismarck & Fargo VA; his audiologist, Jerrica Maxson AuD of Trinity Health, Minot; Dr. Brian Hebert of Essentia Health; the CHI Home Health team; the staff at Gateway Pharmacy in Mandan; and the CHI doctors, PT's, OT's, nurses, and aides who cared for Mark when he was hospitalized over the years and again this April 2025. We are "thankful" to you all.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Christ the King Church of Mandan, or Healing Rooms of the Northern Plains, Bismarck.