Mark Steven Bilas

POLAND -  Mark Steven Bilas, P.E., 65, passed away unexpectedly Sunday afternoon, Sept. 13, 2020, at his home after suffering an apparent heart attack.

Mark, also known affectionately to family and friends as "Shark," was born April 13, 1955, in Youngstown, the son of the late Peter and Mary Markovitch Bilas, and moved to Poland in 1980.

He was raised on Youngstown’s South Side, and attended Bennett Elementary School. He was a 1973 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, and subsequently attended Youngstown State University, where he earned a bachelor of engineering degree in mechanical engineering in 1977. Mark later received an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea.

While attending college, Mark was hired at the GM Lordstown Plant in the summer of 1974, and worked at the plant as a MIG welder. From 1977 until 1988, he was a project engineer at the plant, and then started his own engineering consulting firm, Mill Creek Consultants, from where he retired in 2017. In addition to his engineering endeavors, Mark owned and operated Wolfpac Decals for many years, designing decals for 1:72 scale model military aircraft.

Mr. Bilas was a member of St. Michael Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church in Youngstown, and was a former trustee and vice-president of the church. He also sang in the church choir and was a bingo volunteer. As a teenager, he was a member of the Civil Air Patrol and later became a member of the Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council. Mark was a member of the State of Ohio Professional Engineers, and sang in the Russian Men’s Choir for many years. He was an avid reader of military history and enjoyed conversations with people who shared his interests in astrophysics and other advanced sciences and engineering fields.

Mark enjoyed music and dancing, and he loved the family vacations taken to Ocean City, Md. His nephews would always say “it wasn’t a party until Uncle Mark arrived.”

He leaves two sisters Elaine (Steve) Majetich of Poland and Mary Ellen Bilas of Poland; two nephews, who were also his godsons and whom he loved dearly and was very proud of, Peter and Nicholas Majetich of Poland; two uncles, Michael Bilas of New Springfield and Luke (Ruthanna) Bilas of Columbiana; cousins, Lynne Ann and Michael Drabison, David and Ellen Markovitch, Mickey and Tracy Markovitch, Jay Markovitch, Jim Markovitch, Steve, Sue, Tom, and Nancy Markovitch, Darlene and Bob Johns, Jackie and Dave Merry, Dennis and Karen Bilas, Lt. Col. USMC John and Kim Bilas, Michael Bilas, Jeannette Bilas, Matthew and Denise Bilas; goddaughter, Marianne Sevachko-Phillips; and many other extended family members.

Family and friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Kinnick Funeral Home, 477 N. Meridian Rd., Youngstown, where a prayer service will take place at 6:45 p.m. 

Funeral services will begin at 9:30 a.m., Thursday at the funeral home, and will continue at 10 a.m. with a service at St. Michael Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church on Steel Street in Youngstown. 

Please follow all current social distancing guidelines and health protocols when paying respects to the family and attending the church service, including the wearing of masks or face coverings. To those who cannot attend the visitation or service, or are uncomfortable doing so at this time, please keep Mark and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Graveside committal services with follow the church service, and will be at Poland Riverside Cemetery.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.