Mark David Warren

Mark David Warren, 70, passed suddenly and unexpectedly on September 20, 2024, with this partner by his side.

Born in 1953, Mark grew up in Princeton, NJ and attended the Princeton elementary schools and the Pennington School. Mark's propensity for detention in elementary school (despite ardent declarations of his innocence) gave him the unexpected gift of time with Mrs. Stark, his fourth grade teacher, who became one of his most influential educators. It was Mrs. Stark who introduced him to the world of rare coins, history, geography and artifacts. She even took him to MOMA to broaden his interests. This had a profound impact on the rest of his life, and Mrs. Stark still calls him several times a year and always on his birthday.

Mark attended Rutgers University and studied Art and History. Following college, he moved to New York City where he became an expert dealer of rare maps and manuscripts. After being an auxiliary police officer for several years, Mark ultimately became a NYPD officer and at the time was the oldest rookie in his graduating class. Mark began his career at the 24th Precinct and later was assigned to the DCPI (Office of the Deputy Commissioner Public Information). He was a writer and editor of the NYPD Spring 3100 Magazine and later in his career wrote speeches for Police Commissioners Ray Kelly and William Bratton. He retired as a second grade Detective. Mark was highly respected by the community he served and by his peers in the NYPD. According to one colleague, "Mark made it look easy to perform his duties due to his positive outlook, his sense of humor and his ability to work under such high stress."

While in Manhattan, Mark began his writing career. He published seven engineering books on Maritime History: The Lusitania, The Mauretania, The Aquitania, The Second Mauretania 1939-65, The Campania and Lucania, and his last two books which were his pride and joy, The Shipbuilder, Volumes One and Two, for which he received accolades from around the world. He was honored to be a guest speaker on the QE2 several times, including on the QE2's 50th Commemorative Voyage.

Mark had a big personality and wore many hats, from a classic New Yorker twenty-something cab driver, a professional NYPD officer responsible for the safety of diplomats, an adventure seeking explorer (and in his younger years, sky diver), to "that crazy and beloved uncle," whom we could always count on to liven conversations at Thanksgiving. Mark played each of those roles magnificently. He was generous, had a unique and contageous sense of humor and was a man devoted to family and friends. To them, he was always available.

In addition to writing and publishing, Mark enjoyed a lifetime of adventure and extensive world traveling, forging many life long friendships along the way. He had a tremendous mind for detail and was passionate about curating family genealogy and history, maritime collections, gardening and all things nature and animals.

Mark is survived by his long-time partner, Michael Dennehy, to whom he was deeply devoted. He leaves behind his loving siblings Lynn Warren, James Warren and his wife Shirley, Donald Warren and his wife Nam, and Catherine and her husband Paul Latella, as well as proud nieces and nephews; Elizabeth Warren, Rebecca Warren, Sophie Latella, Jack Latella, Maureen Warren and her wife Allison Hansen, James Warren and his wife Amy, John Warren and his wife Lacey, Tom Warren and his wife Lindsay along with great nieces and nephews and cousins who were more like loving siblings. Mark was predeceased by his parents, James and Sophie Warren of Princeton, NJ, whom he revered and adored. Mark will forever be loved and missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome a donation in Mark's name to the ASPCA or to Tunnels to Towers, a charity dedicated to 9/11 first responders.