Mark Sylvester

Mark Allan Sylvester (1955-2026) of Columbia, Maryland, died at home due to complications from multiple myeloma on March 24, 2026, surrounded by his family.

Born on August 31, 1955 in Columbia, South Carolina, Mark grew up across the country at various Army bases until the family settled in Alexandria, Virgina. He was the oldest son of Lt. Col. Allan T. and Ginger Sylvester and had three siblings, Kathy, Lori and Scott Sylvester.

After graduating from Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., he moved to Baltimore, Maryland and received a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. While at Hopkins he met the love of his life, Pat Rynn. They began their life together rehabbing a row home in the Butcher’s Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, starting their family and careers before moving to Columbia in 1983.

Family was the heart of Mark’s world. He married Pat in 1978, and together they built a life full of home-cooked meals, church on Sundays, hard-earned home and car repair projects, successful careers, devotion to the Baltimore Orioles, and guiding their children and grandchildren. He found joy in simple rituals, had a knack for nicknames and wordplay, and cared deeply about his family. He was a devoted father to Michael, Kate, and Timothy, and an enamored grandfather to Ellie, John, Kathleen and Annie.

Mark had an impactful career in environmental remediation. Early in his career, he managed the environmental clean-up of the Allied Chemical site in Baltimore, and following its later redevelopment as a part Baltimore’s waterfront was a point of pride. He went on to oversee the clean-up of industrial sites across the U.S. as well as in Europe and Japan, opening and running his own environmental consulting firm, ATS2, for nearly 20 years.

“Pop-Pop” lived a life rooted in faith, service, and support for his family. A longtime member of his church, he served as a lector and was deeply committed to his parish community. He dedicated more than a decade to traveling with the Appalachian Service Project, helping repair homes for families in need and forming friendships that lasted a lifetime. He gave generously of his time and believed strongly in serving others. He especially cherished time spent with his grandchildren, patiently teaching them how to cook, including frequent batches of chili for Our Daily Bread, sharing family recipes, and passing down not only his love of food, but also the importance of kindness, hard work, and community.

He is survived by his wife, Pat, his children Michael Sylvester, his wife Megan and their children John and Kathleen; his daughter Kate Roche, her husband John and their children Ellie and Annie; and his son Tim Sylvester and his wife Courtney, as well as his siblings Lori Sullivan and Scott Sylvester, all of whom will carry his memory forward with love. He is predeceased by his sister Kathleen Sylvester and his parents.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to World Central Kitchen or the Vinco scholars at Gonzaga College High School, organizations close to his heart.

His legacy lives on in the family he cherished, the values he lived by, and the memories and traditions we carry forward.

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