Mark Allen Nowlan

Nowlan, Mark

It is with heavy hearts that the family of Mark Allen Nowlan (60) of Fredericton, NB, announces his passing at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital on October 21, 2025.  Mark was born in Halifax, NS, on August 22, 1965, and was the son of the late Valerie Noreen (Mersereau) and Joseph Robert (Bob) Nowlan.  Mark was the loving husband and soulmate of Melissa Nowlan.

Left to grieve with his wife Melissa are his sister Marthe (Ken) Cleveland of South Oromocto Lake, NB; brothers Peter (Diane) Nowlan of Sackville, NS, and David Michael Nowlan of Canberra, Australia; sister-in-law Pearl Nowlan of Fredericton, NB; aunt Dorilla Nowlan of Moncton, NB; several nieces and nephews; many cherished friends; his K-9 partner Nealon and multiple rescue cats.

Along with his parents, Mark is predeceased by his brothers Robert (Bobby) and Shaughney (Shawn) Nowlan, special childhood friend Archie Brawn, his K-9 partners Snickers and Mallow and beloved mother-in-law, Sharon E. Tracy with whom he had a special bond.

Mark was a warm, caring and fun-loving person who made friends easily.  His short life was dedicated to the service of others.  He worked as an orderly at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton before becoming an EMT.  He then transitioned to the Fredericton Fire Department in 1993 where he worked as a firefighter before joining the inspection and investigation unit.  Upon learning of the benefits of accelerant detection K-9s, Mark lobbied successfully to bring the arson dog program to the FFD and became the first handler in New Brunswick (and among the first in Canada) in 1999 with K-9 Snickers (retired 2010).  In 2013, Mark joined the NB Department of Public Safety’s Office of the Fire Marshal where he worked as a Provincial Fire Investigator with his K-9s Mallow (active 2010-2020) and Nealon (2020-2023).  Mark’s accomplishments were integral to New Brunswick’s Accelerant Detection K-9 program being the largest in Canada with three currently active dogs.  His career was woefully cut short when he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) in 2024. 

Mark was an animal lover to the core, not being able to turn his back on any animal in need.  He rescued several cats from fire scenes and, with Melissa, volunteered and fostered cats for CARMA Cat Rescue.

Prior to his illness and when he wasn’t “running the dog” to fire scenes around the Province, Mark spent his spare time fishing, woodworking, boating, doing projects around the house, cooking and baking.  He was a chef extraordinaire and made THE best Gordon Ramsay scrambled eggs as well as beef Wellington using his own homemade puff pastry.  He loved to try new recipes and invent new desserts.  He saved Melissa from a life of eating potato chips for dinner. 

Mark also loved music, especially the band RUSH, and as Melissa once told Geddy Lee, the band is what brought her and Mark together.  Bonding over this mutual adoration of music, they were fortunate enough to travel to various cities and even oversees to see them in concert.  Their travels also included attending concerts of many other iconic bands.

Upon his medical retirement, he and Melissa enjoyed making precious memories by taking many day-trips around the Province, making silly videos, and going for weekly brunch at the Diplomat Restaurant with the other “Nuts of the Round Table.” In his last few months, Mark also very much enjoyed attending Meaningful Connections Day Centre in Oromocto and watching endless M.A.S.H reruns on TV.

The family wishes to thank Doctors John Richardson, Shahram Abootalebi, Gordon McDonald, Chris Embree, Kathleen Clarkson, Chris Goodyear and all their staff for their excellent and attentive care.  They also wish to thank the team at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation, the team at NB Extra Mural (Fredericton), Nursing Home Without Walls, The ALS Society of NB and NS, and the staff and volunteers at Meaningful Connections for taking such good care of Mark and seeing to his every need. Thanks also to the Fredericton Fire Dept, Ambulance NB paramedics and the doctors, nurses and staff at the DECH ICU for their care and compassion during Mark’s final hours.

For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, donations in Mark’s memory would be appreciated by the family to the ALS Society of NB and NS, CARMA Cat Rescue – Fredericton Chapter, or ElderDog Canada (Fredericton Pawd).

Family and friends are invited for Visitations at Sunbury Funeral Home on Thursday November 6, 2025 from 2-6pm. A Celebration of Life will be held on November 7, 2025 at 1pm at the Tri-County Complex, located at 49 Prides Landing Rd, Fredericton Junction, NB. Reception to follow at the same location.

Arrangements are in the professional care of Sunbury Funeral Home, Central Blissville, NB (506-368-2413). www.sunburyfuneralhome.com