Mark Phillip Palermo, Sharon, PA, passed away at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday (5-11-10) in UPMC Montefiore Hospital, Pittsburgh. He was 57.

Mark was born November 13, 1953 in Sharon a son of Felix V. and Josephine A. Masters Palermo.

He was a 1973 graduate of Sharon High Scholl and attended American Truck Driving School in Michigan.

Early in his life, when his family lived in the flats, Mark, at the age of 12, would help unload trucks at the delivery docks of the former Golden Dawn Foods. Following high school he was a supply officer for the Sharon School District and during the 1980's worked at the former Wave Restaurant in Sharon where he met his wife. Mark retired in 2002 from Yourga Trucking, Inc. in Wheatland where he was employed since 1989 and was the union steward until his retirement. He was also a member of the Teamsters Union since 1990.

He attended the Church of the Sacred Heart in Sharon. An outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing in his youth. He was a Black Belt in karate and once competed against Chuck Norris at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Mark's most recent hobbies included making beautiful canes and walking sticks and going to flea markets. He had an inquisitive mind and loved history, reading and researching a number of different topics.

Mark will be sorely missed by his family and many friends who enjoyed his company, camaraderie and conversation.

Surviving are: his wife and sole mate, Charise Palermo, whom he married May 26, 1990 after being together for eight years; two sisters, Mary 'Bunny' Baum and her husband Roger, Hubbard, Ohio; and Frances Erich, Sharon; nieces and nephews, Felicia ' Freda' Stehley and her husband Dale; Mary Jo 'Cousin It' McConnell and her husband Tom; Gary 'Mister Lewis' Baum and his wife Kelly; Chris 'Magic Pockets' Baum and his wife Heather; and Timmy and Kevin Erich; great nieces and nephews, Kylie and Kayla Baum; Mackenzie and Josh Baum; and a very special great niece, Ciara 'CC' Stehley; a sister-in-law, Adamarie Peto and her husband Richard of Masury, Ohio and their two children, Jenny and Richard Peto, II; a brother-in-law, Ronnie Vrankovich and his wife Lola of Warren, Ohio and their ten children; and Donna Faber (who Mark thought of as a 'real aunt') and her husband Michael, Brookfield.

Besides his parents, Mark was preceded in death by a brother, John David Palermo.

Calling hours will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday (5-14-10) in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.

Friends may email condolences by visiting our web site www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com.

Mass of Christian burial will be 11 a.m. Saturday (5-15-10) in Church of the Sacred Heart, Sharon, with Rev. Henry Andrae, pastor, as celebrant.

Cremation in the funeral home's crematory.