Master Corporal Mark Isfeld

Master Corporal Mark R. Isfeld (nicknamed “Izzy”) was born 14 August 1962 in Germany. His family later relocated to Canada. At the age of 22, he enlisted with the Canadian Armed Forces in Edmonton, Alberta.

Mark became a peacekeeper and Master Corporal, serving as a combat engineer for the Canadian Armed Forces.

His job was to remove deadly landmines, and in doing so, put his life on the line countless times in the course of international peace support efforts. He did so knowing he was making a difference. He often said that every mine he lifted meant that someone else would not die.

He served three peace missions (two in Europe and one in Kuwait) before losing his life in a landmine explosion in Croatia on 21 June 1994. He was 31 years old. He died when the armoured personnel carrier he was walking in front of ran over a landmine’s trip wire. It had been his third tour of duty in a peace support mission within a three year span.

In addition to his important work in removing mines so they could no longer hurt anyone, Isfeld was also known during his time overseas for his compassion. He wanted to help children of the area in which he was serving, so he would often give them little dolls made from scrap wool by his mother, Carol, to try to bring a little happiness and hope to their lives. After his death in 1994, the story began to spread of how he touched children’s lives with those hand-made dolls from Canada. Dolls then began to come in from people all across the country who decided to make them for other Canadian peacekeepers to give away overseas and keep Mark’s tradition alive. The dolls have since become known as “Izzy” dolls.

Mark was the son of Carol and Brian Isfeld, husband of his wife Kelly, stepfather to Wade and Kari, and brother of Leigh and Glenn. Mark is buried at the Little Mountain Royal Canadian Legion Cemetery in Chilliwack, B.C.