Mark R. Barnhill, 71, of Pawnee, passed from this life Thursday, August 12, 2021.  He was born May 31, 1950, to Basil LaGene and Phyllis Anne (Rosene) Barnhill in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Mark was baptized in the Covenant Church, which his Great Grandfather helped establish in 1896.

Mark's dad, who his friends and family called Barney, owned and operated his own full-service amusement business called Amuse-O-Matic and Multi Sound which provided amusements to businesses.

The family had a juke box full of records and as a kid, Mark loved to play his drums along with the music, he spent most his spare time practicing down in the basement.

He got very good at it, playing along with all the hits of his time.

Mark graduated from Fort Dodge Iowa High school in 1969. Soon after, he saw an ad needing a drummer for a band called Electric Cowboys. Phyllis, Mark's mother thought it would be an amazing opportunity for him, so they loaded him and his drums up and set out for Sioux City Iowa. Mark was a pretty shy kid, and all this was pretty scary, he threw up a few times on the way down there, but his mom kept driving.

When he got there, he auditioned and shortly after a man named Benny Ketchum was there that heard his performance and wanted him to join his band right on the spot.

The rest is history, Mark got the job, and the Benny Ketchum Show was one of the biggest touring acts of the time, playing huge ballrooms from the Dakotas, Kansas City, Nebraska and the Cains Ballroom in Tulsa Ok. Benny got tired of the road after so many years, so Mark ended out his drumming career with Benny as the house band at Danceland Ballroom in Tulsa Ok for 6 years.

Benny was like a Dad to Mark, he called him, "Red." He helped Mark get a job at Abe's plating, where Mark learned to become one of the best, "show chrome" metal platers in the business. He was meticulous in his work, and it brought many famous people with their precious cars to their shop. One of their repeat customers was the ZZ Top band. They would bring their hot rods to his shop which was in the Dawson area of Tulsa and have him make it shiny.

He always loved his music and would be seen catching a live band any time he could.

In his later years he moved to Pawnee Ok. It was a small town that reminded him of back home. He made many wonderful memories and friends there and lived out the rest of his life until he went to be with his savior, Jesus Christ.

However, his greatest joy was his family. He will be greatly missed by many.

He is preceded in death by his wife Kathy Cockran and parents Basil LaGene and Phyllis Anne Barnhill and brothers Michael and Matthew Barnhill.

Mark is survived by his children Jessica Stremmel and husband Kevin, Andrea Tuter and husband Rick, Ashley Smith and husband Chris and Matthew Barnhill; siblings Melody Barnhill, Melissa Maschino and Mary Ellen Brower; grandchildren Christian Stremmel, Aiden Davis, Aiden Stremmel, Peyton Stremmel and Jaden Smith; 2 on-the-way great-grandchildren and many other family members and friends.

Memorial services will be 2:00 pm, Saturday, August 28, 2021, at Traditions Funeral Chapel in Kellyville with inurnment to follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Bristow. Arrangements are under the direction of Traditions Funeral and Cremation Services, 35 S. Main, Kellyville, Oklahoma, 918-247-7373.