Mark L Motes

Mark Motes, 69 years old of Boise, passed away on September 14, 2025.

During high school in Alamagordo, New Mexico Mark became a member of the Southwestern Mountaineers at New Mexico State University where rock climbing became an intense passion. Mark served in the army from 1976 to 1980. His last two years he was stationed at Fort Bliss. Luckily for Mark he was close to the Organ Mountains and back in the Southwestern Mountaineers. This is where Mark fell in love with Holly who would become his lifelong companion soon to become his wife of 45 years. Mark and Holly were married September 20, 1980 and started building their passive solar adobe house alongside the Rio Grande river. In 1983 Mark started fighting fire on the Gila National Forest and in 1986 was accepted into the smokejumper program in Redding California. The next year he applied to Boise BLM and he and Holly moved to Boise He loved his 27 proud years as a smokejumper. Mark had a great thirst and excitement for adventures, rock climbing, kayaking, backpacking, skydiving and riding adventure motorcycles. Just a few of Mark’s adventures include hiking the 300 miles of the High Sierras , solo biking the 3000 mile Continental Divide Trail, spending two month in Chile rebuilding a bridge in the Torres del Paine Natl Park, base jumping off El Capitan and completing marathons in China, Honolulu, Paris, South Africa, Iceland and Australia.

Mark’s approach to life and his upbeat demeanor is an example of how a life should be lived. The world was a better place with Mark Motes in it and he will be missed so much.

He was predeceased by his parents, Clyde and Verna Motes. He is survived by his wife Holly Motes, who has had to put up with his absences during the above mentioned adventures. He is also survived by his siblings, Joel Motes (Becky), Christie (Keith) Soderquist, Kyle (Tracy) Motes and Ane Motes May.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Mark and Holly Motes Greatest Need Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation,https://www.idahocf.org/.