Mark P. Gaynor, age 92, of Shelton, Conn., formerly of Mattituck, N.Y., passed away Dec. 1, 2022.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 10, 1930, he was one of four children of Julia Marie (née McTiernan) Gaynor and John Hubert Gaynor and was the beloved husband of Ann Marie Gaynor (née Cannell) for 68 years.
Mark also was the proud patriarch of a loving family, including his son, Mark P. Gaynor Jr., and his wife, Alison Gaynor (née Kittrell); his daughter, Missy Gaynor, and her husband, Peter Shearer; granddaughter Lorraine Gaynor and her husband, Steve Nordlund; grandson Mike Gaynor and his wife, Katie Gaynor (née Hull); granddaughter Sophie Gaynor and her husband, Jay Gillett; granddaughter Caitie Creighton and her husband, Michael Creighton; and great-grandchildren Maeve and Ezekiel Nordlund, Landon and Liam Creighton, Beau Gaynor and Oliver Gillett.
A graduate of Fordham University in The Bronx, N.Y., Mark was the dear brother of Sister Mary Constance Gaynor of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace, Hugh Gaynor and the late Joan Mixson (née Gaynor); and was the brother-in-law of Karl “Scott” Mixson and the late Sue “Suzy” Gaynor. He also is survived by seven nephews and nieces and their families.
Mark served for more than 35 years in the U.S. Army, including active duty as a second lieutenant/stevedore officer during the Korean War and in Japan after the war, and in the U.S. Army Reserve, finishing his Army career as a colonel. He also had a successful 35-year career at New York Life Insurance Company, retiring as a vice president in 1989.
He was a member of Sutter-Terlizzi American Legion Post 16 in Shelton, the Reserve Officers Association and the Knights of Columbus.
Family and friends are invited to pay their respects from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9, at the Riverview Funeral Home, 390 River Road, in Shelton. Mourners are invited to go directly to St. Lawrence Church, 505 Shelton Ave. in Shelton, for a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. Entombment with military honors will follow at Mount St. Peter Cemetery Garden Mausoleum in Derby, Conn.
Mark’s family extends their deepest gratitude to Doris McNeil Dennis for her loving support during the last years of his life, and to his wonderful caregivers from Care Connections by Stratford VNA and Hartford Healthcare at Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Fordham University. Condolence messages may be posted at riverviewfh.com.
This is a paid notice.