Mark A. Schmelzlen
Mark A. Schmelzlen, 52, of Carmichaels, died at 11:55 a.m. Wednesday, July 4, 2018, in Washington Hospital, following a yearlong battle with cancer.
He was born December 26, 1965, in Altoona, a son of Audrey M. Waltz Schmelzlen of Hollidaysburg and the late Herbert P. Schmelzlen.
Mark was a graduate of Altoona Area High School.
Mr. Schmelzlen served as a scout sniper with the U.S. Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm and served in Panama, Liberia, the Mediterranean, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
He was a Pennsylvania state trooper and retired with 25 years of credited service. The majority of his career was spent at the Troop B Waynesburg station, where Mark served as a patrol trooper, criminal investigator and patrol supervisor. Additionally, he was a polygraph examiner for the Troop B area of the Pennsylvania State Police. Mark was a peer contact in the Pennsylvania State Police Members Assistance Program Unit. He was an active member of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 47, where he served as chaplain.
At the time of his death, Mr. Schmelzlen was a detective for Washington County District Attorney’s Office.
Mark was an assistant overseer of Christian Nation Church, U.S.A., and served as pastor for Christian Nation Church, U.S.A., in Carmichaels.
On March 4, 1996, in Winchester, Va., he married Rachel A. Miles of Warren.
Surviving, in addition to his wife and mother, are his six children, Isaac D. Schmelzlen, Susanna R. Schmelzlen, Miriam L. Schmelzlen, Sarah B. Schmelzlen, Esther F. Schmelzlen and Mary R. Schmelzlen; a sister, Cindy L. Brown of Altoona; and two nephews.
Deceased is his brother, Paul Schmelzlen.
Family and friends are welcome from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday in Yoskovich Funeral Home, 300 South Vine Street, Carmichaels, 724-966-5500, Martin J. Yoskovich, funeral director. An additional visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., the time of service, Monday, July 9, in First Church of the Nazarene, 115 Deerfield Lane, Waynesburg, PA 15370, with Brother Ronnie Justice and Brother Carl Eisenhart officiating. Interment will follow in Laurel Point Cemetery, Carmichaels, with military honors accorded by American Legion Post 400, the U.S. Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania State Police.
A memorial service by Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 47 will take place at 7 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Gideons International for the purchase of Bibles in order to aid in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
To access additional information and sign a guest book, visit www.YoskovichFH.com.