Mark S. Bogossian passed away peacefully Thursday, June 24, 2021, at his home in Albany, NY, after a brief battle with cancer. He was born at Albany Medical Center on October 24, 1958, to Grace and Zeke Bogossian. Raised in Armonk, NY, he graduated from Byram Hills High School in 1976 and earned a bachelor's degree in 1981 at the University of Hartford. After crossing the continental United States twice, once by motorcycle, Mark settled in the Capitol region where he met his first wife, Sandra Nicks, and where his son Jacob was born. He took over the family business, Castle Computers, and during the 1980s and 90s Mark shepherded thousands of customers into the technological age, teaching basic computer skills and selling many people their first ever computers. Mark started every workday at Castle proclaiming, “It’s a great day to be alive,” and he continued to live by this mantra when he transitioned the business into Castle Mac Service.
A man of many hobbies, Mark played defense for many local hockey teams over more than 20 years, most recently the Night Owls. He was also a motor enthusiast and loved the outdoors—two passions that collided at the property he and his son Jake owned outside of Little Falls, NY. To maintain the motocross track they built together, Mark would rent a “brushhog” every year and push it ten to fifteen times by hand around the one-mile loop in the summer sun. A devoted slot car hobbyist, Mark raced with the Tri-state HO Slot Car Club. He would often host events at his basement track in Albany, and traveled with friends to events across the Northeast.
Later in his life Mark met Susan Moya of Albany and the two of them built a joyful life together among the many friends and family who lived nearby. They shared a love of Susan’s excellent cooking, Mark’s knowledge of wine, and threw world class parties at their home. They enjoyed travelling across the world and the U.S. in the last ten years.
In 2018, Mark founded Albany City Farms, a non-profit that turned two blighted properties in South Albany into a garden and park. Mark spent much of his free time at the gardens over the last several years, and was embraced by the neighborhood as family. The gardens brought him a sense of fulfilment and peace that he shared with everyone that he could.
Mark is survived by his loving partner Susan Moya of Albany, NY; son Jacob Bogossian and his partner Lizzy Fitzsousa of Baltimore, MD; step-sons Daniel Moya and his wife Dunya Moya of Raleigh, NC; Gabriel Moya of Albany, NY; siblings Gary Bogossian and his wife Deb Bogossian of Havertown, PA; Bruce Bogossian of Helsinki, Finland; sister Gail Bogossian and her husband Michael Roy of East Haven, CT. He will be missed by his nieces and nephews William, Pamela, Andreas, Elias, and Amelia.
Mark wished to be cremated, and a private memorial service will be held at a later date.
Donations in Mark's name may be made to The Community Hospice, 310 S. Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208.
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