Obituary of Mark Vitale

After a life filled with love, joy, and laughter, Mark Vitale passed away in the home he built with his first wife, Eileen, and later shared with his second wife, Debbie—in the Bethlehem Township neighborhood he loved and the community of neighbors he considered family.

He was born on March 1, 1953 in Jersey City, New Jersey, and grew up in Ridgefield, New Jersey. He resided in Bethlehem Township, NJ for the last 26 years.

He was the son of the late Frank and Sophie Vitale.

His first wife, Eileen Vitale (née Van Aulen), passed away in 2010 after 34 years of marriage. He was the loving father of their two daughters, Susan and Melissa.

His second wife, Deborah Petryna, passed away in 2020 after 7 years of marriage. He was the loving stepfather of her three children, Benjamin, Kathleen, and Susanne.

He earned his degree from Rutgers University, where he was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity.

Mark retired from a career as a telecommunications consultant. A notorious lateral career jumper, he enjoyed roles with Hess, Lucent Technologies, Columbia Records, and Avaya, where he most notably helped restore office communications in Tribeca following 9/11.

Mark loved nature and would often be found outside—camping, fishing, and taking long drives on the back roads. He inherited a love of Lionel trains from his father, a passion he passed down to his youngest daughter through countless hours at train shows and bent over a basement workstation together. He enjoyed settling in for a good murder mystery and keeping his loved ones' cars in working order. He was happiest spending time with friends, especially the Ridgefield boys.

He will be remembered for his many stories, his ability to make you laugh even in the hardest of times, and for turning even mundane moments into a party.

He is survived by his sister, Judy Delery, and her husband, John Delery; his two daughters, Susan Vitale and Melissa Vitale; his three stepchildren, Benjamin Petryna and his wife Marisa Portuesi, Kathleen Petryna and her husband Matthew Cline, and Susanne Petryna and her husband Owen Dunbar; six grandchildren, Rose, Deborah, Arlo, Beatrice, Edith, and Hayes; and four fur-grandchildren, Pesto, Jack, Rose, and Brooklyn.

A memorial gathering will be held at Martin Funeral Home, 1761 State Route 31, Clinton, NJ 08809, on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with words of remembrance starting at 1:00 p.m. Lunch to follow. To send condolences to the family please visit www.martinfh.com

In Mark's honor, guests are encouraged to wear their favorite flannel.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society in Mark's memory. Please Click Here to Donate