Mark E. Brefka

DARIEN, CONN. Mark Edward Brefka, 52, investment banker and sportsman, of Darien, Conn., died unexpectedly while walking his dogs at Verbank Preserve, Verbank, N.Y. on April 6, 2008. Born in Syracuse, N.Y. on December 26, 1955, he was the son of Paul and Ruth (Danielson) Brefka of Southborough, and the brother of Maria Brefka Heller of Sydney, Australia. Mr. Brefka developed a love of fly fishing and upland bird hunting from his father, and continued his favorite pastime throughout his life with a succession of golden retrievers, setters and spaniels. In addition to being a member of Verbank, he was also the treasurer of the Hollenbeck Trout Club in Falls Village, Conn., and a member of the Anglers' Club of New York and the University Club. He particularly enjoyed trips to Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula to fish for Atlantic salmon and supported the Atlantic Salmon Federation and Trout Unlimited. Mr. Brefka was also an expert sailor, owning Severin, a J-120, for many years. He was a member of the American Yacht Club in Rye, N.Y., and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. In 1998 and 2000 he was the navigator on Stampeded which won the J-44 class in the Newport Bermuda race. After winning the race a second time, the boat's crew gave him the nickname "Magellan", as a tribute to his navigational prowess. In 2002, Stampede's attempt to repeat an unprecedented third win the J-44 class race was foiled by only a few minutes when the boat finished second after sailing for 635 nautical miles. He had been schedule to navigate Stampede in the Bermuda race again this June. Mr. Brefka also enjoyed playing golf and shooting sporting clays. His numerous business and personal friends remember him as a dedicated father and devoted son, as well as for his compassionate spirit and wonderful sense of humor. Mr. Brefka was a graduate of Colby College, Class of 1977, where he met for former Cornelia Armbrecht. They were married in 1984 and divorced in 2004. They have two sons, Paul Edward, a junior at the Kent School in Connecticut and Henry Pearson, a seventh grad student at Greenwich Country Day. Mr. Brefka particularly enjoyed receiving competitive chess lessons from Paul and regaling in Henry's artistic abilities. Mr. Brefka obtained his MBA from Cornell University in 1982. He began a successful career in investment banking with Prudential Securities in New York in the mid 1980s. He was stationed in Hong Kong in 1987-1988 and rose to become a managing director of the firm and head of international banks, Josephthal & Co., Inc. and Blue Stone Capital Partners, both in New York. Since 2005, Mr. Bufka had been a director of acquisitions at Everlands in New York, a successful new global membership club with a conservation imperative. At Everlands, Mr. Brefka was able to apply his international banking skills acquiring spectacular conservation and sporting properties and, at the same time, realize his passion for the outdoors and international travel. He is survived by his parents, sister, a former wife, two sons, and his companion, Jane Allardt of Greenwich, Conn. A celebration of his life will be held on May 9, at 2 p.m. at the Pilgrim Church, Southborough. The family requests that no flowers be sent.