Mark Stephen Poremski

Mark S. Poremski, of Portsmouth, R.I. passed away at home on October 31st. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 27, 1956 to Myron and Elaine Poremski of Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Upper Merion Senior High School in King of Prussia, PA. in 1975. In 1993 he received his associate's degree from Community College of Rhode Island.

His love for being at sea led him to serve two enlistments in the U.S. Navy. While stationed in San Diego, California, he volunteered at the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County. He received his Shellback certificate while crossing the equator on board the U.S.S. Coronado (AGF-11), out of Bahrain. He received his Golden Dragon certificate, crossing the International Date Line, while on board the U.S.S. Prairie (AD-15). He was also stationed on board the U.S.S. Affray (MSO-511) which brought him to Newport, where he met his wife.

He leaves his beloved wife of thirty-six years, Kathryn (Tonnes) Poremski, his in-laws, Dennis and Diane McNamara of Middletown, and Deborah Tonnes of Cranston, two cousins, Claudia Rankin (Mike) and Francine Fraundorf (Tim), and an uncle, Frank Czerwony, of Cleveland, Ohio, and several nieces.

He was a member of the Seaconnet Sportman's Club in Portsmouth since 2001. For many years, he was a volunteer for the annual food drive there. His love of hiking led him to a lifetime membership in the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and a membership in the Green Mountain Club. He was also a member of the Middletown Historical Society.

He was employed at Oxbow Farms for 13 years in the Maintenance Department. He worked as a pipefitter at both Direktor Shipyard and Blount Marine in Warren. He was a welder for Northrup Services. From February 2011 until June of 2016 he served as sexton at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Newport. He worked seasonally starting in 2008 for Central Parking Systems/SP+.

He had owned a Mako motor boat which he used for pleasure trips in the bay, and a kayak, getting beached only once on Dyer island with the outgoing tide. He was a member of the NARDAC bowling league for years and played for the Fuzzy Ducks team. He obtained a motorcycle license along with his wife, Kathryn, and had, in his bachelor years, become a PADI-certified rescue diver. For several years he had a diving business to assist boatowners with various tasks in the water while their boats were in the local marina. In 2007, he won an all-expenses-paid trip to Superbowl XLI in Miami, FL through a raffle at the East Bay Community Action Program.

Mark was an avid reader and maintained a personal library of books on the World War II Eastern Front, the Appalachian and Long Trails and Bigfoot stories. He loved adventure and travelled several times to the Big Island of Hawaii to hike Kilauea volcano, standing next to molten lava, followed by parasailing with Kathryn. He hiked Mount Fuji in Japan, and took a 3-day white water rafting trip down the Colorado River. When he wasn't outdoors, he enjoyed live theater productions and going to the movies.

Mark was always helping a neighbor in need, whether it was house and/or pet sitting, snow removal or maintenance tasks. He had a natural ability to make people laugh and will be missed by those who knew him.

Due to COVID restrictions, burial will be private, with Pastor Jaegil Lee of St. Paul's officiating. Donations in his memory may be made to the Aquidneck Land Trust, 790 Aquidneck Ave, Middletown, RI 02842, the Green Mountain Club, 4711 Waterbury-Stowe Rd., Waterbury Center, VT 05677, any animal shelter of your choice, or any organization which emphasizes the planting of trees.