Obituary of Mark C. Kowalczyk

Mr. Mark C. Kowalczyk, age 54, of New York Mills, NY, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, October 2, 2019, at his home after suffering a heart attack.
Mark was born in Utica, NY, on June 11, 1965, a son of Joseph M. and Cynthia (Mitchell) Kowalczyk.  He was raised and educated locally and attended St. Mary’s  Elementary School and Clinton Junior/Senior High School, from where he graduated in 1983. Mark continued his education at Hartwick College in Oneonta, and in 1987, received his Degree in Funeral Service from the New England Institute of Arts and Sciences, in Boston, MA.

Mark began his career in funeral service with the J. S. Waterman Funeral Homes in Boston, MA and the Griswold Funeral Homes in Schenectady, NY. In 1989, he became a licensed New York State Funeral Director. Mark returned to the Utica area, where he joined his father in the operation of the Kowalczyk Funeral Homes, Inc., where he was currently Vice President and co-owner, and operated Kowalczyk Funeral Homes, in Utica and in New York Mills.
He was a member of several civic and religious organizations including, Sacred Heart and St. Mary Our Lady of Czestochow in New York Mills, the Knights of Columbus Council #189, the Engine 11 Club, the Utica Area Chamber of Commerce, the Kopernik Memorial Association, and Gro West, where he served on their Board of Directors. Mark was a long time member of the Skenandoa Country Club of Clinton.  He was a Trustee for the Clinton Central School District Foundation, past president and chair of the Foundation Annual Golf Tourment.

Mark was active in the National Funeral Directors Association and the Tri-County Funeral Directors Association, where he was instrumental in their annual golf outing fund raiser for many years. He served on the Board of Directors for the New York State Funeral Directors Association from 1995-2004, where he also served as Vice President, and two consecutive terms as President and Chief Elected Officer, and he was on its Governmental Affairs Committee from 1999-2002. He was instrumental in the association’s legislative success throughout his affiliation with them. In 2001, Mark assisted the Federal Disaster Mortuary Response Team in the processing of those killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.
He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, traveling with family and spending time at camp.

Surviving are two sons, Nicholas Mark Kowalczyk, a student at Utica College, and Matthew Christopher Kowalczyk, a student at Roger Williams University; his parents, Joseph and Cynthia Kowalczyk, of Clinton; a brother, Joseph Kowalczyk of Latham, NY and his fiancée, Danielle Hitti, of Montreal; a sister and brother-in-law, Kristen and Mark Bailey, of Winona, MS; aunts and uncles, Andrew S. and Shirley Kowalczyk, of New Hartford, Elizabeth Gunther, of Syracuse and Alicia Martin and Melissa Heath, both of TX; and his former wife Judy Kowalczyk of Clinton. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and colleagues. 

Family and friends are invited to calling hours on Monday evening, October 7, 2019 from 4-7 at the Kowalczyk Funeral Home, 284 Main St., New York Mills. Mark’s funeral mass and celebration of life will be offered on Tuesday morning at 11:00 at Sacred Heart and St. Mary Our Lady of Czestochow Church in New York Mills. Interment will take place in St. Stanislaus Cemetery in Whitestown. 
Please consider memorial contributions in Mark's memory to the Stevens-Swan Humane Society, 5664 Horatio Street, Utica, NY 13502. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

Light a candle at www.kowalczykfuneralhomes.com