Mark S. Ross

Mark Sutton Ross, 55, passed away on December 31, 2025. He was born on December 8, 1970, the son of the late John and Rebecca Ross.

He graduated from Wheeling Park High School in Wheeling, WV. Mark proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1990 to 2003 as a “Plank Owner” on the newly commissioned USS Tortuga, and deployed in Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Bosnia, Somalia, and in operations in Cuba and Haiti.

Mark built on the skills he learned in the Navy and graduated from Belmont Technical College with a degree in Heating and Air Conditioning. He worked in the industrial field for 35 years. After college, Mark moved to be near his grandparents, father, and step mother, in the Kent, OH, area. He rekindled relationships with cousins and met his future wife, Stephanie, while at church with Grandma Connie Roszkowski.

Mark and Stephanie were married 25 years and raised three wonderful children, Joshua Michael, Stephen Sutton, and Sarah Jane.

He loved the outdoors, especially fishing, hunting, and camping with his kids.

He was a proud father when working with his sons and enjoyed being at the Father-Daughter dances with Sarah. He was a devoted husband and very loyal to his friends. Mark was a caring brother to Susan and a special friend to Tom Bracken. He could talk to anyone and everyone and make them feel loved. Mark was a big mentor in scouting and was never afraid to help anyone in need. He was a “Big Kid” and could find fun in any situation.

Mark enjoyed the family’s trips over the years and most recently returned to Virginia Beach in November with Sarah to celebrate his 35th reunion with fellow shipmates from the USS Tortuga.

Mark was committed to service in his community from his years in the Navy to his time in scouting. He was an Assistant Scout Master for St. Matthew's Troop 310 and 7310. He loved the campouts, cooking, and making coffee over the fire. He was a leader to many scouts as they worked their way to Eagle Scout. Mark also served the military community through work at the VFW Post 3383 as Post Commander and as District 8 Commander.

He was preceded in death by his parents and father-in-law, Stephen Spangler.

Mark is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Stephanie Ross; sons Joshua (Janissa) and Stephen (Madison); daughter Sarah Jane; sister Susan (Mark) Ross-Parent, and their sons Jackson (Lauchlan) Sky and Marco (Rachel); step-mother Mary Lou Ross; step-brother Michael (Sandy) Vickers, and their children Kristen, Lauren, and Luke; step-sister Adele (Otto) Mauch, and their children Jonathon, Allison, and Katlyn; mother- in-law Phyllis (Tony) Spangler; brother-in-law Matthew (Karen) Spangler; and many other relatives and beloved friends.

Visitation will be held Sunday, January 18th, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Newcomer Funeral Home (131 N. Canton Rd., Akron), where services will be held at 2:00 pm with Deacon Robin Adair officiating.

To share a memory of Mark or leave a special message for his family, visit the guest book below.