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Last summer, Mark Kock’s family welcomed him back from deployment to the Persian Gulf. Pictured are Landan, Eva, Heidi with Ella and Marcus in front of her; Mark; Mark’s parents Pam and Scott Kock; Paytan; and Heidi’s parents, Leonard and Evonne Rozeboom.

During the half year of basic training, no communication with the family is permitted for the first three months. So Heidi was pretty much on her own with the new barn. “I couldn’t call Mark, I couldn’t ask him questions about anything. That was hard. But I figured out that stinkin’ barn and all the fancy buttons. Those pigs became my little friends.” Mark was gone for basic training from December 2018 until June 2019. After he returned, the family had a relatively normal period for about a year-and-a-half. But in December 2020, he was deployed to Qatar, a Persian Gulf country which borders Saudi Arabia.

Having learned the hard way the first time Mark was gone, Heidi knew enough to ask for help this time around. Al Kumlien of Canton helped out with the pigs during Mark’s deployment. “Also, the kids had my back and did so much without me even needing to ask. They were my backbone and the Lord was my rock,” she said. Their children are Landan, 15; Eva, 14; Paytan, 12; Ella, 10; and Marcus, 9. All attend Central Lyon schools. According to Heidi, “Having five kids in six years was a challenge. It was a little crazy some days. But we kept each other sane. I’d have my bad days and Mark would have his the next. We evened each other out.”

Landan is active in the FFA chapter at Central Lyon High School. Currently, he’s raising 135 chicks which he plans to sell as soon as they start laying eggs. He built the coop the chicks are in. He also spends time helping with the hog chores. Eva is in cross country and track, and likes to bake. Heidi described Eva as her third hand because “she and I are on the same wavelength.” Ella is “one of the goofiest girls around” and enjoys baking like her sister.

Both Paytan and Marcus are athletic and active in wrestling and football. All of the kids enjoy hunting and fishing. And, just for the record,

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Your Ag parts dealer is here for you. Benco Products Inc Daniel Severson 27093 Katie RD, Tea, SD 57064 1-888-649-4862 | dan@bencoparts.com