Mark William Dion of Mamaroneck, N.Y., passed away on Feb. 26, 2024, from a heart-related illness. 

Born in Port Chester, N.Y., on April 9, 1956, he was the son of William and Mary Elizabeth Dion. 

After graduating from Rye High School in 1974, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1978. He put his artistic skills to work at Siegel & Gale where he met his future wife, Madge Friedman. He later worked at Schrader Design and Vanguard Direct as a creative director. He retired in 2020 and recently opened his own art studio in Harrison, N.Y. 

To know Mark Dion was to embrace his inner child — his crazy sense of humor, his endless practical jokes, his every opportunity to create mischief. Always the casual guy, he never owned a suit, but he prided himself on being the only one wearing a tie on casual Fridays. 

He had a lifelong love of hockey and of art. Among his recent creative one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family was an illustrated Children’s Dinosaur Book for his beloved grandsons. 

“Mad Dog” to his wife, “Dadster” to his daughter, and “Grampster” to his grandchildren, Mark Dion’s whole world was his family. There was no more devoted husband, father, or grandfather. 

He is survived by his wife, Madge Dion; his daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Chris Frink and grandsons, Liam and Mason of Providence, R.I.; his sister and brother-in-law, Nancy and Ed Avery of Rye, and their children, Kristen of Astoria, N.Y., and Bonnie of Rye, all of whom he loved with a big, big heart. 

A private service was held at Greenwood Union Cemetery. Donations in Mark Dion’s memory can be made to Art in Action or the American Civil Liberties Union.