Andrew M. Mark, known to generations of Belvidere residents as “Coach” or “Uncle Andy,” died peacefully on July 22, 2026, at the age of 98. He was surrounded by family and friends at the time of his passing.
Born on June 19, 1928, in Simpson, Pennsylvania, Mark grew up in a close-knit Polish American family that ran Mark’s Cafe, a local bar and restaurant, for 87 years.
He captained his high school basketball team to a Pennsylvania state title in 1946 before serving in the United States Army in Italy during World War II.
After earning degrees from East Stroudsburg’s teachers college and New York University, Mark began his teaching career in Pennsylvania before moving to Paulsboro, New Jersey.
There he met Sara Andrews, whom he would later marry. Mark arrived in Belvidere in 1955 for what he thought would be a job interview, only to be handed a canoe and asked to help rescue flood victims during Hurricane Diane. He stayed for the rest of his life.
Seven Decades of Service to Belvidere
Mark spent 37 years with the Belvidere School District, teaching physical education, driver’s education, and hunter education while also coaching the boys’ basketball team to multiple league titles. He rose through the ranks, becoming assistant principal, then principal, and finally superintendent of schools in 1971, a post he held until retiring in 1992.
Beyond the classroom, Mark was a fixture in civic life. He belonged to the Belvidere Lions Club for more than 70 years, serving as its treasurer for 56 of them, and was a lifelong member of American Legion Post 131. He also volunteered on numerous municipal boards and committees over the decades.
Belvidere has honored his legacy in lasting ways. The high school gymnasium was named the Andy Mark Gymnasium, and in 2025 a stretch of Second Street was renamed Andy Mark Way. He was inducted into the Warren County Hall of Fame and served as Grand Marshal of the town’s Memorial Day Parade.
Outside of work, Mark was an avid outdoorsman who restored classic Packard automobiles and helped found several hunting clubs in Maine and Pennsylvania.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Sara, in 2013.
Visitation is scheduled for July 31 at MacFadden Funeral Home, with a funeral Mass on August 1 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Belvidere.
