Mark H. Chellis

He was born in Saranac Lake on June 6, 1929, son of the late Leroy and Lucena (Newell) Chellis. He graduated from Tupper Lake High School (Tupper Lake) and Paul Smith’s College (Paul Smiths) and was an aviation machinist in the US Navy serving on the USS Princeton during the Korean War (1950-1954). When his enlistment was up, Mark returned to Tupper Lake and worked in the lumber camps.

He was employed by the Heywood-Wakefield Company, working in the sawmill (Conifer), and was present when that mill burned down in November, 1957. Marks lifelong career began in 1962 when he was hired as wildlife manager for Whitney Industries (Whitney Park). For the next 32 years he worked as wildlife manager, forestry manager, and then general manager of Whitney Industries, retiring in 1994.

Mark was predeceased by his first wife, Beverly Chellis Dunning, and is survived by their children: Deborah Goldsborough (husband Bill), and Cynthia Sawaya (husband John). He was predeceased by his second wife, Claire Jennings Chellis, and survived by her children Daniel Patnode (wife Maryanne), Ann Lester (husband Thomas), Jane St. Louis (husband Shayne), and Barbara Loewen (companion, Rick Godin). He was also predeceased by his third wife, Mary Lou Nadeau Chellis, and survived by her children: Judith Duval (husband Gordon), Brian Nadeau (wife Bobbi), Wayne Nadeau (companion Mary LaVigne), Roderick Nadeau (companion Shelly), and Valerie Nadeau. He is survived by 29 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Mark is further survived by his brother, Leroy Chellis, and his sister, Grace Smith.

He was predeceased by his sister-in-law, Ella Chellis, and his brother-in-law, Thomas Smith.

Mark was an avid outdoorsman, hunter, trapper and fisherman. He spent his days living and working in the woods. He could be found most weekends hunting and fishing with his best buddy, Slim LaLonde. In his retirement, most days, you would find Mark in his garden planting, weeding, or surveying the damage the deer had done overnight. Mark was a member of the Mount Arab Masonic Lodge and the Mount Morris Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.

Calling hours will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 at the Stuart-Fortune-Keough Funeral Home, 24 Cliff Ave., Tupper Lake. Service at the funeral home will begin at 2:30 p.m. Interment will be at the Long Lake Cemetery followed by a gathering at the Adirondack Hotel.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mark’s memory may be made to Mercy Living Center, Activities Department, 114 Wawbeek Ave., Tupper Lake, NY 12986.