Mark Leslie Browning

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Mark Leslie Browning, age 76, took his last breath at home on March 28, 2026, in Englewood, Florida, embraced by his loving and devoted wife, Kathy. He lost his hard-fought battle with cancer while being held and surrounded by his wife and four children.

He leaves behind a legacy his family will proudly carry forward-a deep love of adventure and knowledge. Mark and Kathy traveled the world together, visiting well over 25 countries across Europe, Africa, and the Americas. He loved the New York Times Crossword Puzzle, telling dad jokes, watching Jeopardy, and diving into trivia of all kinds. Mark worked hard and played hard, dedicating his life to his profession as a physician assistant.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Elmira College while working full-time and raising four children-a testament to his determination and grit. In his sixties, he returned to school and obtained his master's degree from the University of Nebraska, with hopes of teaching in retirement. Sadly, those plans were interrupted when he suffered a stroke in 2015 during brain surgery.

Mark's love of baseball was lifelong. As a child, he played stickball in the neighborhood and proudly advanced to Regionals in Little League on Long Island. Though he had to give up playing in high school to work, his devotion to the Yankees never wavered. He attended and watched countless games with family and friends. While stationed in New York, he played for the Nassau Bombers across Long Island, Queens, and Brooklyn, and later coached Babe Ruth baseball-even after his own son had aged out of the program. In retirement, he played for the Englewood Senior Softball League.

Though he was a big, strong man, Mark never hesitated to embrace his love of singing and dancing. He had a beautiful tenor voice and would spontaneously sing at gatherings, eventually deciding to join a local barber shop choir. He and Kathy attended dance lessons and joined fellow dancers for events and cruises. They were like Fred and Ginger at any wedding or celebration. His oldest daughter proudly carries on his love of music and performs professionally, fans know her as Red.

Mark was also passionate about justice and compassion. He raised his children to love fiercely, stay open-minded, and stand up for the underdog. It is no surprise that he inspired paths in education and social justice among his children.

He was also wonderfully goofy, silly, and full of life. Always ready with a joke or anecdote, he was the dad in the 1990s carrying a 200-pound video camera to every sporting event, recital, and family gathering. Mark was sometimes the only adult willing to jump in the pool at a party, always eager to ride the next roller coaster and has had almost every grandchild on his shoulders. His Sunday morning breakfasts were legendarily – a ridiculous amount of eggs and bacon coupled with mountains of homemade buttermilk banana pancakes. He was not satisfied until his children (and their friends) were beyond full - challenging them to eat as many homemade buttermilk banana pancakes as possible -the record being around 20.

In his youth, Mark attended Freeport High School in Long Island, where he met his wife of 56 years. They were high school sweethearts and have been together for over 60 years. Friends and family would frequently comment on how sweet it was to see them still hold hands and dance together. One of the most endearing things was seeing how Mark looked at Kathy - as if no one else in the world mattered and as if he was gazing in wonder at something beautiful for the first time. He was able to hold on to that look up until the very end.

After high school, Mark served in the United States Coast Guard from 1969 to 1973. Through an extended service agreement, he pursued education and clinical training that made him one of the first physician assistants in the country. During his service, he was a member of the Honor Guard, stood watch at the White House, and was selected for the Coast Guard's precision drill team for Charleston's Tricentennial Parade. He had the honor of meeting two U.S. Presidents and three international leaders.

Following his service, Mark moved to upstate New York, where he cared for rural communities that had little to no access to medical care. He worked at Willard Psychiatric Center, in a family practice in Seneca Falls, and later with Guthrie in Corning. Eventually, Mark and Kathy traded the cold for warmer climates, moving first to North Carolina and then to Florida, where he continued his work as a physician assistant.

Mark is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Kathleen (Jockers) Browning, with whom he celebrated over 60 years since they began dating in 1965. He was predeceased by his father, Frederick Browning; his mother, Cherie Stevens; and his grandson, Anthony Perry.

He is survived by his children: Jessica (Craig) Amboyan, Mark (Kelly) Browning, Stephanie Browning, and Diana (David) Drew. He also leaves behind nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren: Vanessa (Brian) Girardi, Angela Mallacoccio, Dominick Mallacoccio, Aiden Browning, Sanders Browning, Alaina Browning, David Drew, Colin Drew, Jesse Drew, Ariella Mallacoccio, Sebastian Baranyk, Claire Girardi, and Alayah Mallacoccio.

As the second of seven siblings, Mark is also survived by Frederick Browning, Leanora Browning, Alex (Bob) Stein, Anthony Browning, Celia (Gary) Turner, and Vanessa Browning, along with many beloved in-laws, nieces, and nephews.