SUNAPEE, NH— Mark N. Halsted, 75, of Sunapee, NH passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Mark was born on September 22, 1949 in Newport, NH to his parents Betty Nilsen Halsted and John B. Halsted.
Mark attended school in Amherst, Massachusetts, Winchester School in Sheffield, MA , Kents Hill School in Readfield, ME and New England College in Henniker, NH.
Mark summered on Lake Sunapee in the home completed by his great grandfather, Jonas Rein Nilsen. Mark loved fishing, swimming, and boating on the lake. His love of fishing has passed on to the next generation. He was an avid boatsman who always loved to drive his many boats.
Mark relocated to Fort Lauderdale, FL in his late twenties. He worked initially as a Chef and then as a finish carpenter and construction foreman. He developed expertise in the building of residential and commercial structures and became a Licensed Florida Building Contractor. During this time, he met his wife of 42 years, Arlene. The were married April 1983 in Coral Springs, FL. Being deeply rooted in the Lake Sunapee Region, Mark returned to Sunapee to establish his family. Back in NH, Mark operated his own building company Hal-Mark Enterprises, building new homes and completing home renovations in the region. In later life, he worked for Dartmouth Motors as a Sales Agent, Service Advisor, and Driver. He had a passion for classic cars and became a classic car enthusiast owning a 1963 Thunderbird.
Mark enjoyed his game of golf and played often at Lake Sunapee Country Club with friends and at Newport Golf Club in the Mens League. He had a love for the natural beauty of the John Cain Course in Newport, NH. To support the continuation of the course , he became an investor in what is now the Newport Golf Club .
Mark was a Trustee and Junior Governor at the Newport Moose Lodge 1236. He was a member of the Sunapee Historical Society and volunteered at the Historical Society’s Flanders-Osborne Museum. For several summers, the couple owned a unique clothing, jewelry and gift shop – Lakeside Casuals, “the Margaritaville of Sunapee Harbor”.
Most recently, Mark together with his wife had been enjoying retirement as snowbirds traveling between Sunapee, NH and their winter home in Sun City Center, FL. Mark loved to watch birds and wildlife in NH and Florida. He also enjoyed live music, particularly blues and jazz.
Mark is survived by his wife Arlene (Chech) Halsted of Sunapee, NH; their children- Katharine Nicole Halsted of Newport, NH and John Albert Halsted of Concord, NH; his sunshine -a granddaughter, Rayna Cosgrave; his sister, Lorna Halsted Schilling and her husband Falko of Saxtons River, VT; three nephews Falko E. Schilling , Montpelier, VT, Nilsen Schilling of Waltham, MA and Brian Schilling of Saxtons River, VT and their young children: Cedar, Jade, Bobbi, Lulu, Lilly and Henry.
His great grandfather was the first commodore of the Lake Sunapee Yacht Club and true to that heritage, family will have a private gathering in the nicer weather to return Mark to Lake Sunapee. A Memorial Gathering will be also be held at a later date. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers, may be made in Mark’s name to The Sunapee Historical Society or at wwwsunapeehistoricalsociety.org or to the Newport Golf Club 112 Unity Rd, Newport, NH 03773. Condolences may be sent to Halsted Family at 198 Youngs Hill Rd, Sunapee NH 03782. To sign an online guestbook and for more information about the future gathering please visit www.chadwickfuneralservice.com.
