Mark A. Cirillo

Mark Cirillo of Mount Holly passed away on Monday, March 2, 2015 at the Samaritan Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mount Holly. He was 54. Born on Robbins Air Force Base in Warner Robbins, Georgia, Mark was the 2nd son in a large family of seven siblings. At the age of 6, he and his family settled in Mt. Holly in a home we named, “444”. He talked fondly of his carefree childhood that included little league baseball, swimming, long days on Long Beach Island (LBI), his paper route, bicycling on his banana bike, ice skating on Woolman’s Lake where he perfected the art of “cracking the whip” and Halloween goblins. He relished family trips to rural Huntington, Indiana to visit “cousins-by-the-dozens” and to the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York to visit his Auburn cousins and his beloved Uncle Joe. Beginning in childhood he developed a group of life-long, steadfast friends whom he fondly referred to as “the Clydes”. He attended Rancocas Valley Regional High School where he exceled in Wrestling and Track and Field. After he graduated in 1978, he worked at Charley’s Other Brother in Mt. Holly and various other jobs including Chemtronics in El Cajon, California (“home of the best burrito”) ultimately finding a niche working as a dry-waller. A favorite of all the family dogs, he fell in love with a black lab puppy that a co-worker brought to work one day. “Winnie” and Mark traveled many trails and she was devoted to him, and he to her. Mark was very close to his dad and despite a love-hate relationship with the Eagles and Phillies, they spent many evenings watching football, baseball and the Masters on TV. Mark loved camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and week-long “parties” at Surf City with “the Clydes”. He developed a keen interest in gardening, cooking and history, particularly the Civil War. He loved his nieces, nephews, and family, and his true friend, Marina. He will be forever and dearly missed. The son of the late Louis & Nancy Cirillo, Mark is survived by his brother & 5 sisters: Stephen, his “favorite” sister Piera, his “favorite” sister Tuney, his “favorite” sister Chrissy, his “favorite” sister Dina, his “favorite” sister Nichole, and many nieces and nephews. A gathering to celebrate Mark’s life will be held on Saturday, March 7th at Mark’s home, 444 Park View Drive, Mt. Holly, NJ from noon to 4 PM. A lover of dogs to the end, Mark recently chose to foster a young bit bull he named, Liberty. His wish was to continue to provide support for Libby. Thus, in lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to: Don’t Bully Us Rescue PO Box 246 Wenonah, NJ 08090

Mark A. Cirillo

August 3, 1960 - March 2, 2015