The family and the Sewickley community are mourning the death of Officer Mark Smilek.
His last name said it all: Mark Smilek’s positivity was contagious, not to be outdone by his passion for serving his community
“Mark was awesome to work with. He was so knowledgeable from his background in law enforcement. It made your workday much easier,” said Chief David Mazza of the Sewickley Borough Police Department.
Smilek worked at the Pentagon during 9/11, served as the police chief of Ohioville, and then joined the force in Sewickley, all the while facing an uphill battle. He was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, an aggressive and rare form of cancer, in 2017
“He was in a lot of pain, and that was one thing, Mark – he didn’t complain,” said Dr. Hilary Jones, Mark’s wife.
“This is a guy who was in and out of the hospital, probably over 60 times and every good day he was here working shift,” Mazza said.
Smilek endured chemotherapy, blood transfusions, stem cell transplants, and clinical trials until the very end. He passed away this week, a gaping hole at the Sewickley Police Department, where he’ll be remembered as a gifted communicator, a jokester, and a protector.
“As much as Mark was a fighter – which he was, every minute of every day – he had such a sense of acceptance, that he was at peace with everything. Whatever God was going to deal him, he was going to handle to the best that he could, and he did till the end,” Mazza said.
In his final months, Smilek paid several visits to those who made a lasting impact on his life - a final act of selflessness after years of putting others first.
“He loved Amy [Marcinkiewicz]. In fact, a few weeks ago, he drove up to see her because he spent a lot of time saying his goodbyes these last few months. A lot of people didn’t even realize that’s what he was doing because he didn’t tell them,” Jones said.
Friends and family can pay their respects from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Gabauer-Lutton Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., Chippewa Township, 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls.
A Blessing Service will be held in the funeral home on Saturday, Jan.13th at 11 a.m.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW