On November 19, 2025, 72-year-old Mark DeWald died in a head-on collision on the dark sections of K-96 highway northwest of Great Bend.
When Barton County Sheriff’s deputies arrived three miles outside the city just before nine o’clock at night, they discovered that his eastbound 2016 Ford Fusion had crossed the center line and collided with a westbound 2007 Dodge Ram 1500. At the scene, the Great Bend resident was declared deceased.
After 42 years as a mechanic at Great Bend’s Ward’s Diesel Service, where he trained generations of technicians and specialized in heavy equipment repair, Mark retired. In the 1970s, he graduated from Barton Community College with a certificate in diesel technology. He was the go-to specialist for complicated diagnosis, according to colleagues.
Weekly Sunday dinners helped Mark and his wife of fifty years, Carolyn, stay close to their five grandchildren and two adult children in their ranch-style house on 12th Street. He loved the grandchildren and frequently took them fishing at Cheyenne Bottoms, which is close by. His retirement world continued to revolve on his family.
Coffee on the porch in the morning and volunteer upkeep at the nearby VFW post were Mark’s regular routines. He continued to work on refurbishing old tractors for exhibits at county fairs. He made homemade gifts for his grandchildren in his garage shop using simple hobbies like woodworking.
The teenage driver of the Dodge Ram was treated at KU Medical Center in Great Bend for minor injuries. The Kansas Highway Patrol is still looking into potential medical episodes and other circumstances. No accusations have been made.
While his family gets ready for services at First United Methodist Church, Great Bend commemorates Mark with flowers along K-96. For the rural highway section, officials talk about adding more centerline lines. A talented mechanic whose calm hands touched many lives is remembered by the community.