Mark S. Cunnane

Mark S. Cunnane, age 68, longtime city resident, died at Strong Memorial Hospital on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, following several years of significant health issues.

Mark was born on July 29, 1957, in Catskill, NY and was a son of the late Joesph and Eve (nee Carlton) Cunnane. He was a graduate of the John Jay Sr. High School where he was a drummer in the marching band, was an Eagle Scout and took great pride in his summer job at a dairy farm in East Durham. Fond childhood memories of the Dutchess Park neighborhood in Fishkill remained with him along with lifelong bonded friendships. Following graduation, he served in the US Navy from 1976 to 1980, as a signalman on minesweepers. Fate and good timing took him to Rochester, where he was able to find his true adulthood home. As a jazz musician, he found the vibe in Rochester to be an exact fit, while being close in proximity to his family, but not next door. He was able to sustain himself as a house painter, and loved working on restoration projects for the stately homes in the area. Mark’s wit, humor and intelligence made him a formidable master chess player. Mark’s personality traits were often misinterpreted, he was, after all, an artist and a dreamer, a plane of which many don’t’ understand. Despite his absence, the Jazz Festival will go on this year, undoubtedly with him in line on the streets of heaven. Mark was a good man, a man of faith and will be missed by many.

He is survived by his siblings, Debra Morris of Stanford, KY, Valerie Mazon of Miami and John Cunnane of Wappinger Falls, NY, in addition to many nieces, nephews and cousins.

 Prayers of Committal with military honors will be held at NYS Veterans Cemetery-Finger Lakes in Romulus at 2:00 on Thursday, May 21, 2026.