Mark A. Sylvain

Mark Anthony Sylvain, 51, of Bristol, loving husband of Michelle (Banziruk) Sylvain, passed away at his home on Wednesday (February 7, 2018). Mark was born in Bristol on October 4, 1966 to Angela (Bellini) Sylvain and the late David P. Sylvain. Mark knew what he wanted to do for his career early on. He was part of VICA in high school and went on to represent the state in nationals in Arizona the day after graduating from Bristol Eastern high school in 1985. He starting working at Bristol Hospital in August of 1983, part time, in dietary. He moved onto being an aide while going to school at Mattatuck College. He found out he passed his state nursing boards while on his honeymoon in St Thomas. He loved his job and his coworkers became family. He was a strong advocate for his patients and would fight for what they needed but always backed everything with facts and his vast knowledge. He loved to sing for his patients and was often referred to as the singing nurse and was requested by repeat patients. He received many accolades and awards while there including many monthly employee recognitions and was chosen as Most Outstanding Employee on his twenty-fifth anniversary of working there. He was honored and humbled to have been selected. When he retired from Bristol Hospital in December of 2015, he went to work for Interim as a patient case manager where he took care of patients he already knew, and again, was requested by many. He left Interim and took a position in the Outpatient Pavilion in the Gen med area. Again, he made friends that became family. He thought he wouldn’t have enough to do at first coming from two busy jobs to what he thought was a doctors office. He was pleasantly surprised. He loved the fact that he had the opportunity to share his wealth of knowledge and teach others the nuances of nursing and how their first obligation was the patient. He had said recently that he should have gone there much sooner. He met his wife Michelle in high school in September of 1982 when they were just turning 16. He told his closest friends that he was going to marry her, who does that at 16? They continued dating and building a life together marrying 9/7/90 and went on to enjoy life. He loved to surprise her with things that ranged from dinner picked up on the way home to a pair of earrings that just looked like her left wrapped on her pillow, to enjoying a glass of wine on the deck together watching the sunset. He loved to make memories and go on adventures both with his wife and with friends. They visited all of the wineries on the CT wine trail and became friendly with several that knew him by name, loved to spend time at the shore, especially Old Lyme and Madison. He loved to cook and bake pizzelles, had a beautiful tenor voice and would spontaneously break out in song; whether it was saying hello, happy birthday or a Josh Groban song.  In addition to his wife and mother, Mark is survived by his brother: Cody Sylvain of St George Utah; sister and brother-in-law: Tina and Paul Dulac; sisters-in-law: Melissa Grady and Amanda Fahringer of St Cloud, Fl; niece and two nephews: Shannon Dulac, Cameron Dulac, Kyle Grady; and countless friends. After Mark’s Father, David, passed away in October of 2016, Mark kept David’s urn safely at home so that he could stay close with him. Mark and his father will have Mass of Christian Burial celebrated together on Monday (February 12, 2018) at 10 AM at St. Joseph Church, 33 Queen St., Bristol, CT 06010. Burial will follow with a procession to St. Joseph Cemetery. Military honors will be rendered for Mark’s Father, David, in honor of his honorable and faithful service to his country. Relatives and friends are invited to call at Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol, CT 06010 on Sunday (February 11, 2018) between 2 and 6 PM. Please visit Mark’s memorial website and/or David’s memorial website at www.FUNKFUNERALHOME.com

---

 Service Information