Mark Poirier

Mark Stefan Poirier, 51, of Providence, died Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at his home. Born in Providence, he was a son of Richard A. Poirier of Smithfield, and the late Jeanne M. (Burns) Poirier.

Mark was a self-employed contractor.

Besides his father, he leaves his daughters, Feather Poirier of New Haven, CT, Valerie Poirier of Providence, his two grandchildren Eden and Zuzu Turner, and his siblings Karl, Nicole, and Benjamin Poirier.

His funeral will be held Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 8:45 AM from the Robbins Funeral Home, 2251 Mineral Spring Ave, North Providence, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 901 Atwells Ave, Providence.  Calling hours will be Wednesday, November 6, 2019 from 5-8 PM. The burial will be private.

Much of Mark’s life was spent with his large family and he was a devoted father and son. He had recently become a grandfather to two girls, and though it was brief, he cherished the time he spent with them. Over the years, he spent a lot of time with his family on his parents’ pond in Smithfield, playing on the raft he built in the summer, and playing hockey on the ice in the winter. They spent many summer days sailing on the ocean and digging for quahogs, enjoying drinks and each other’s company. For many years, on New Year’s Day, they would do the Polar Plunge on one of the icy beaches of Rhode Island. Like his father, he was a passionate collector, and together they frequented yard sales, flea markets, and auctions, and searching for hidden treasure.

He came from a family that loved food and sharing meals, and he became passionate early in life about making the perfect pizza. You could count on him bringing homemade pizza to any gathering he was part of. It was one of his many forms of showing care for his loved ones. One of his lifelong dreams was to open a pizzeria or food truck someday.

Mark was a dreamer and an adventurer, who took any opportunity to expand his horizons. Family bike trips as a child awakened his love for adventure, later inspiring his many attempts to sail to the Caribbean. From excursions like his motorcycle trip to Nova Scotia with a girlfriend in his youth and his solo bike trips through Florida later in life, to his explorations of abandoned buildings and a period spent living in a refurbished school bus, his adventurous spirit brought him to strange and unlikely places.

He was an enthusiastic teacher and student. He had a wealth of natural curiosity and would try to fix anything and understand its inner workings. He took great joy from sharing his knowledge with his daughters and anyone else who would listen. He taught his daughters to cook, do math, ride a bike, drive a car, and change a tire. They also joined him on several of his contracting jobs, doing tasks such as roofing, plumbing, tile work, and painting, among other things. Through this, they gained skills that most kids, especially girls, don’t get the opportunity to learn, most importantly self-sufficiency and independence. He collected broken bicycles, which he would fix and share with many people in his life, especially with his daughters and the kids in his neighborhood.

Mark had a big personality and a strong presence, and saw the world in a way that was truly unique to him. He was very open-minded with a vivid imagination, and though this caused him trouble at times, he always enjoyed debating and writing about his thoughts and ideas. He saw value in things other people didn’t. He had friends from many walks of life, and liked to connect with people who others might not have given the time of day. He lived an unconventional life and enjoyed pushing the boundaries of society. Though his choices in life sometimes seemed strange to others, he never let other people’s opinions deter him from living life on his own terms. Until the end of his life, he remained truly his own man.

He will be missed.