Obituaries

Mark Cole, a resident of 118 East Seventh Street, Oswego, N.Y. died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse on December 14, 2024.

Born in Oswego in 1951, he was the son of James A. Cole Sr. and Muriel (McGough) Cole.

A graduate of St.Paul's Academy and the Oswego High School, Mark received his B.A. degree in Speech and Theater from the State University of New York College at Oswego in 1973. He graduated with an M.F.A.  degree in Theatre from New York University's School of the Arts in 1978.

Mark began his teaching career in the Theatre Department in 1979. He achieved the rank of full Professor and served as the Department Chair from 1995-2009. He received a SUNY Research Foundation Research & Scholarship Award for Excellence in Education in 2014. He directed more than seventy productions for the Theatre Department, including classic and modern plays, chamber theatre, Commedia dell'arte adaptations of the Renaissance Madrigal Banquet and a summer orientation performance entitled "Orientation Express". He also directed many Readers Theatre productions. He taught courses in all levels of acting as well as theatre history, directing, and oral interpretation of literature. Mark retired from teaching in 2014.

Mark authored several plays including "Poe/Play", chosen for a one person play festival in London, UK in 1996. "An Evening with Alan and Laurence", "On the Terrace of the Doolittle Hotel", "The Photographer's Nightmare" and "The Mandorla". He acted in his own plays and plays with Contemporary Theatre in Syracuse (Clov in Beckett's "Endgame"), Covey Theatre Company (Andrew Borden in "Lizzie Borden Took an Axe") and the Oswego Players ("Safe Haven"). Film work included the documentary "The Play Within" produced by Media Artists, "Viking Funeral" produced by Jetpacks Go!, and the serial "Navigators of the Shadow Ring"

Mark was a communicant of Christ the Good Shepard Church (previously St.Paul's) in Oswego where he was a choir member for many years.

He was predeceased by his father, James A. Cole Sr. in 2005, his brother James in 2008, and his mother Muriel in 2012.

Mark is survived by his brother, Dr. David M. Cole (Dr. Karen Henry) of Lyme, New Hampshire, and nephews, James Cole-Henry (Ashley) of Enfield, New Hampshire, and Darren Cole-Henry (Rachel Rossi) of Eugene, Oregon.

Private funeral services will be held at the Dowdle Funeral Home.

There will be no calling hours.

Burial will be in St.Paul's Cemetery immediately following the service.