Mark Klimek, born in Rochester, New York, passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, with his family by his side on July 16 at the age of 50. He was a devoted husband to Cheryl for nearly 17 years and a loving father to twins Caitlyn and Cameron. While Mark was raised in Rochester, his family owned a home in Delray Beach, Florida for over 20 years, which they visited during winter and spring breaks, and during summer vacations. An athlete and diehard sports enthusiast, Mark hardly missed a game played by his beloved New York Yankees. He was an extreme competitor who also enjoyed a good game of golf and a workout at the gym. He would have preferred to attend his favorite, the University of Notre Dame, but instead he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon, West Virginia. He majored in Government and Economics and was a member of Theta Xi Fraternity. He began his career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, long enough to become a Steelers fan, and eventually landed in South Florida. Mark worked for over 20 years in the mortgage banking industry. When the tide changed, he worked in retail management at a sporting goods store, combining his sales and marketing ability with his love of sports. He always said politics was his hobby, so Mark volunteered on numerous political campaigns - local, state and presidential. He was Cheryl's biggest supporter in her unsuccessful bid for Florida State House in 2000. They were married two-and-a-half weeks after the election in a beautiful ceremony on the beach. Mark was a 2001 graduate of Leadership Palm Beach County, a member of the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers, a board member of Kiwanis and a trustee for BIZPAC, the Business Political Action Committee of Palm Beach County. Battling colitis since age 19, Mark fought and won the battle with his first bout of colon cancer in 2009. When it returned again earlier this year, everyone thought he would be victorious again. Though he fought courageously, it would be the chemotherapy that would win this round. Mark is survived by his wife, Cheryl; son, Cameron Marcus Klimek of Wellington, FL; daughter, Caitlyn Marie Klimek of Wellington, FL; father, Stanley Klimek of Rochester, NY; in-laws, Fred and Anne Carpenter of Winter Haven, FL; sister, Christina (Tony) Acee of Clinton, NY; sister, Paulette Gonzalez of Rochester, NY; sister, Sandra Klimek of Rochester, NY; brother, David (Barbara) Klimek of Rochester, NY; sister, Valerie (Robert) Adams of Rochester, NY; sister-in-law & BFF, Suzanne (Greg) Piotrowski of Winter Haven, FL, along with many nieces and nephews in Florida and New York. He was predeceased by his mother Jane Klimek of Rochester in December of 2016.
