Mark William Colonna

On Sunday, December 9, 2018, Mark Colonna, was granted eternal peace at the age of 56. His family closest to him called him brother and uncle, but Mark was loved and greatly cared for by the entire staff where he lived – the Farren Care Center in Turners Falls, MA. Mark was born on July 18, 1962, to William and Claire Colonna (Desmarais) in Springfield, MA. Brother of Ronald and Barbara and uncle to Brianne ("Baby Bri"), Carl ("Michael V"), James and belatedly to Francesca, Anthony, and Valentino to whom he looked up to. Mark’s passion for all things “police”, fire extinguishers and military, made him a unique personality and he loved to share that fondness with anyone who would listen and even many who did not. He loved music and was the best dancer in the family honing his skills from the early “Soul Train” days. He had a gifted memory and could recall everyone’s birthday and many other event details that he wrote about during his favorite pastime, journaling. He liked four-color pens best except for the green ink. Of the other things in his life, Mark most looked forward to his regular grinder with soda and chips that Ron brought. And it was always an extra special treat when Margo brought homemade cookies. He loved those afternoons. Despite his health challenges, he was most admired by his brother for being the happiest person he knew. As James Taylor once said, “the secret to life is enjoying the passage of time” and Mark did this so well. He will always be remembered for being a truly kind, respectful and good person that will be loved and remembered forever. Private services will be held at the convenience of his family. Memorial contributions may be made in Mark’s name to the Farren Care Center, 340 Montague City Rd., Turner Falls, MA 01376 or NAMI, 529 Main St., Suite 1M17, Boston, MA 02129.