Meet your neighbor Mark Irish, born and raised in La Harpe. Mark grew up north of town on his family's farm, baling hay, feeding the pigs, and working the calves and doing field work.
The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Jenna Clayton, Quill Reporter
Meet your neighbor Mark Irish, born and raised in La Harpe. Mark grew up north of town on his family's farm, baling hay, feeding the pigs, and working the calves and doing field work.
His parents are Ted and Diana Irish. He was active in FFA in his school, La Harpe High School where he graduated from in 1981. He was active in Boy Scouts, earning the Eagle Rank in 1978. He even traveled to Europe with the Scouts in 1979, and attended the National Jamboree in 1981.
He graduated from Western Illinois University in 1989.
He and wife Patricia are raising their sons Alex and Matt.
Mark works hard as the Assistant General Manager at La Harpe Telephone Company.
He's an EMT on La Harpe Ambulance Service, a member of La Harpe Lions Club, a member of the Union Church in La Harpe and a member of the La Harpe Community School #347 Board.
Previously, he was a loan officer before returning to his family business and he manages the farms for his mother after his dad died in 1995.
Irish enjoys woodworking in his shop, especially turning on the lathe. He enjoys riding four wheelers with his boys, and in the past, shooting clay pigeons with his family.
"The simplest things in life are sometimes the most memorable," he said, such as his fond memory of playing fetch with the dog on the farm and how the dog never tired of it. He would see how hard he could make it for his dog to get the ball and was surprised when he would climb on the gas tank, the cab of the truck, or pick it up off of the bottom of the cattle tank. The dog carried the ball wherever he went in case someone wanted to throw for him.
Irish loves his home and his family, and said, "I am glad I came back to La Harpe to raise my family. There is no better place to call home."