Today, the ENGin team would like to pay tribute to our former Treasurer and dedicated volunteer Mark Tremont.⠀
😔 Mark passed away unexpectedly last week, leaving behind his wife of 51 years, Jean, who is also an ENGin volunteer, and his daughter Kate, a former Peace Corps volunteer and passionate advocate for Ukraine. 🙏⠀
💔 Mark was a very special person who embodied the core values of volunteering with ENGin. He was proactive, curious, and selfless. He was dedicated to his students, discovering their interests and tailoring sessions to their needs with creative readings and discussion ideas. He shared the ENGin mission with dozens, if not hundreds, bringing us many new volunteers. He generously gave his professional skills and time to the organization. Though he himself is not Ukrainian, he loved Ukraine sincerely and fully supported Ukraine’s fight for freedom.🇺🇦⠀
📽 We would also like to reshare a video about Mark’s volunteer work created by our volunteer Yana Lahoda. This is how we will always remember Mark ❤️🔥
From Mark Tremont’s obituary:
Mark was a lifelong volunteer dedicated to helping others. He was heavily involved in volunteer work for Interlake High School in Bellevue, WA and served as President of the Board for Wonderland Developmental Center, a nonprofit agency serving children with developmental disabilities, from 2001-04. After visiting his daughter in Ukraine during her Peace Corps service, he discovered a love for Ukraine that continued to grow throughout the years.
In the final years of his life, Mark served as Board Treasurer for Jajja’s Kids, a nonprofit providing housing and support for former street children in Uganda; volunteer and former Board Treasurer for ENGin, a nonprofit pairing Americans with Ukrainians for English-language conversation practice; and founding member of Ukraine Solidarity Capital District, a group standing for Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity in the Albany area.
Those who knew Mark will remember him for his infectious laugh; his famous homemade tomato sauce; his passion for the environment and human rights; his love of all Syracuse sports, as well as the Yankees and the Giants; the window of his beloved storefront, filled with a collage of all the causes he held dear; and the boundless generosity and kindness that he showed to all he met. Mark is predeceased by his parents, Rose and Sam, as well as his youngest brother, John.
Mark is survived by his wife of 51 years, Jean; his daughter, Kate; his three brothers: Sam, Mike, and Paul; and many nieces and nephews. His memory will also be deeply cherished by the Frankenfield family: Karen, John, Brian, Tom, and Chuck. Mark was beloved by many and will be greatly missed.
A memorial for Mark will be held at Butler-Badman Funeral Home in Syracuse, NY on Thursday, January 16 from 4-6 p.m. An additional celebration of life will be held at a later date in the Albany region. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations go to ENGin (https://www.enginprogram.org/donate-page) and/or Jajja’s Kids (https://www.jajjaskids.org/donate-now).
