Jeremiah T. LaMark

Jeremiah “Jerry” Thomas LaMark, 82, passed away suddenly at his home on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Jerry was born on May 23, 1944, in Pittston, Pennsylvania, to Antonio Santo Lamarco and Eileen Hogan Lamarco. He was the fourth of thirteen children. Jerry moved to Connecticut his senior year in high school and graduated from Valley Regional High School in 1962. In 1964, he joined the Army and served in the infantry in Vietnam where he received the Purple Heart with clusters after being wounded twice in combat. He received an honorable discharge in 1967.

Upon returning from the Army, he met the love of his life, Jacqueline Marie Coole, whom he would marry on April 25, 1970. He welcomed his first son, Jason Thomas LaMark (Isabella Josephine, and Jeremiah Jack) in 1973, and his second son, Mathew Hogan LaMark (Calliana Wyatt Mae) in 1975. He was heavily involved in local organizations, running Chester Little League, the Cub Scouts, multiple veteran’s organizations and was a founding member of the Pattaconk Fish and Game Club where he was the sitting president for many years.

Jerry worked as a carpenter, building bridges until a near fatal work accident forced him into retirement. During his convalescence, he found renewed purpose in veteran’s movements. Jerry is largely responsible for the expansion of the Chester War Memorial, which previously only honored veterans from World War I. The expansion currently honors veterans from all wars and conflicts to the present day. The funding of the war memorial expansion was due to tireless campaigning and fundraising from mailers to famously selling hotdogs anyplace that he was allowed to set up a stand. Additionally, he raised money to fund the flags that adorn Chester from Memorial Day to Veteran’s Day. He was also instrumental in organizing multiple celebrations to honor Veteran’s Day, Vietnam Veteran’s Day, and the Korean War.

Jerry was a man of honor who was not known for mincing words or withholding his opinion. You certainly didn’t have to waste time wondering where you stood with him or how he felt about something. Despite this, he was generous to a fault and would give you the shirt off his back if he could help. Jerry was known for his sense of humor and loved to make people laugh. Telling him that he shouldn’t do or say something (for whatever reason), rarely had the desired effect.

Above all else, Jerry was a family man. He was deeply devoted to his wife, Jacqueline, who he referred to as “his little flower”. He never fully recovered from her passing in 2017, and often said he wasn’t afraid to die because he knew that she would be waiting for him on the other side. He loved his children and grandchildren fiercely and would defend and protect them at all costs, without question, and by any means necessary.

Jerry was predeceased by his wife, Jacqueline, his father and mother Antonio and Eileen, his brothers Santo, Joseph, James, Samuel, and David, and his sisters Theresa and Carol. Jerry is survived by his children, Jason LaMark and Mathew LaMark, and his beloved grandchildren, Isabella LaMark, Jeremiah LaMark, and Callianna LaMark. He is also survived by his brothers John LaMark, William Lamarco, Michael Lamarco, his sister Eileen LaMark, and dozens of nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Thursday, November 5, 2026, from 4-7 PM at Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook, CT. Burial will follow a Catholic mass on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 11 AM at St. Joseph’s Church in Chester, CT, with a graveside service to follow. A reception will follow at Essex Memorial Hall in Centerbrook, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Disable American Veterans, Wounded Warriors, Gary Sinise Foundation or Huntington’s Disease Society of America.