Mark Allen Nerkowski was born on December 11th, 1959, to Shirley and Joseph Nerkowski and grew up alongside his sister, Lynn Medway (nee Nerkowski). As a lifelong Pittsburgher, he lived a full and remarkable life and was a person who made friends wherever he went. After starting out as a bricklayer, Mark went on to work for Smithfield Foods in Pittsburgh for over thirty years, known for being friendly, hardworking, and always willing to lend a hand. In his retirement he continued to enjoy gardening, being especially fond of growing tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers (and inspiring an infamous cucumber lasagna recipe lovingly made by his nieces), weightlifting, basketball, and supporting his favorite teams, the Steelers and the Penguins. He enjoyed watching true crime shows, modern day takes on mystery/crime dramas such as Monk, and old westerns like Tombstone and western dramas like Yellowstone. Known for his kindness, compassion, and generosity, he was a passionate outdoors man and a lifelong nature lover. Whether he was hunting with friends, fishing with family, or taking long walks in the park with his beloved dog Sadie, there was nothing that Mark didn't love about the great outdoors. After a hard-fought battle with cancer, he passed away peacefully on April 7th, 2026, surrounded by loving friends and family who wholeheartedly supported him and never left his side throughout his journey.