Mark S. Stupak
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mark Stephen Stupak died on June 24, 2020, in Pittsfield, Mass. Born May 24, 1950 in Milwaukee, Wis., Mark was the fifth child of Frances L. (Budzis) and Francis A. Stupak. Later the family moved to Gladstone, Mich., where Mark grew up with his four brothers and five sisters. He enjoyed sports, especially playing basketball for Gladstone High School, graduating in 1968.
In 1969, Mark enlisted in the Navy and became a Navy Seal. Honorably discharged in 1972, Mark earned numerous medals, including the Purple Heart and Silver Star, the second highest military decoration that may be awarded to a member of the United States Navy. He took no pride in his time in the service, and he struggled to make sense of it. Like many other soldiers returning from Vietnam, he didn’t receive a hero’s welcome and, so, a part of him never came back from Southeast Asia.
Mark graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1977. Although his career was in manufacturing management, predominantly in the paper industry, his most personally rewarding job was his last, working for the Soldier On program. There he helped those who served in the military receive the benefits they deserved and deal with the problems they faced.
Mark is survived by two children, Micah and Noah (Melissa), and granddaughter Heidi Marie. Also surviving are siblings Maryann, Dolores, Frank, Marsha, Bart, Greg, Jeff, Tori, and Nancy. Mark was married for 35 years to ex-wife Janet (Beck) Pozar, surviving.
Mark was a survivor: he fought cancer for a decade before it took his life. He was a selfless, principled, and complex man. He was most at peace when fishing, whether it was on a boat, from a dock, or standing in a stream.
Memorial donations in memory of Mark may be made to Soldier On at https://wesoldieron.org/donate or 425 North Main Street, Building 6, Leeds, MA 01053.