Dear Phyllis & Family, My family was very saddened to read about Mark's passing, after reading about it in the Westborough community advocate. I was a music teacher in the Westborough public schools from 1989-2020. When my son Jonathan was diagnosed with Leukemia back in 2016, he would love going to your South Street Diner for breakfast or lunch. Mark was an amazing cook and Jon's favorite was the Vegetable beef soup, and the Chocolate chip pancakes!! Delicious home cooked foods served with a smile! And Phyllis, you were always the friendliest host! Please know that we are keeping you all in our thoughts & prayers. Love, Paul, Ann, Jonathan & Katy Tomashefsky

Mark worked with me at my restaurant in Framingham around 20 years ago. He was a great guy. Hard working but always enjoying himself. I will always have a special place in my heart for him.

I am just now learning of Mark’s passing. I haven’t seen him since our graduation, but it is always sad to lose someone we knew in life. My condolences to the family. Carollee Nisbett

Dear Phylis and family,
I am so truly sorry to hear of Mark’s passing. We were classmates at Kents Hill, sharing many classes and sports. He was so well liked at KHS and had so hoped to meet him again one day at a reunion. We did chat via FB a few times and he told me about you, the love of his life, and Nantucket, then moving to Vt. Again, I am so sorry. Sending big hugs to you.  

Norman and I are truly saddened by Mark's death.  He was a man who loved life and how he spent his life is something we could emulate ourselves. He was a kind and generous man with family and friends. Phyllis and he were people you wanted to be around. Their zest for life was contagious. We wish that we could have shared more days with him.
Phyllis my friend Mark will be forever missed.

What a wonderful guy. His love of live was truly infectious . 

Nothing I write can truly express how lucky I was to have had such an amazing Dad.

I am so sad…only because his love was so great.

He taught me how to ski at age 3, coached me in football, and we even went shark fishing together…the list of adventures seemed endless…

He famously would wear shorts all year round..even in the snow. He is the only guy that could pull off a Hawaiian shirt and pink shorts at the same time…and in the snow. Not to mention his wolf ski hat.

He was an amazing athlete in high school and college as a skier who consistently won the ski Meister award (for competing in all events), soccer player and lacrosse captain…but above all he was an even better father and grandpa.

He was so proud of anything I did…from showing everyone at the restaurant in New Hampshire a picture of me hitting a ski jump, to putting me on the restaurant menu, to making business cards for my golf company and handing them out to anyone he knew… he always had my back…

He never doubted anything I did, even when I was fired from my job…he supported me and was confident my start up would be a success even if I wasn’t. It was true blind support.

He would jump at the chance to do anything.

Whether it was packing up golf clubs in the basement, building a treehouse in the back yard, spraying insulation into the attic. He was truly ready to help me no matter what I was up to.

If there was one word to describe him, it was “determination”

He truly made his own path in life and did not let anything stand in his way. From owning his own restaurant and cleaning company to moving a house to fulfill his dream of living on Nantucket. A true dreamer that didn’t follow the rules.

He fought so hard for so long and one of his last projects was to get the dock installed at their new home in Vermont.

Not only get it installed but make it perfect. He measured and drew different configurations and even moved the flagpole multiple times just so Charlie could cast his fishing rod perfectly.

He always put others before himself and he was a true gentlemen. He was the first person to stand up and give you a handshake with his bear paws, open the door for you or put a coat on if you looked cold…and always offer his shirt to get your boogers on the chair lift, a personal favorite of mine.

Selfishly I am thankful that he was so determined to live. He truly tried every treatment and fought harder than I thought was humanly possible. He was determined to see the kids, Adria, me and my mom.

I hope to take all the lessons he taught me to make myself a better dad, so one day they will remember me the same way I remember him.

I will love him forever and look forward to skiing with him in the clouds.