Mark Leslie Sparacino November 29, 1954 – June 28, 2013

 Funeral arrangements have already taken place. Tax-deductible donations in Mark’s memory can be made to the Gastric Cancer Foundation. Information is available at http://gastriccancer.org/html/howHelp.html.
 Mark Sparacino passed away peacefully from esophageal cancer at the age of 58. He had been a resident of Morgan Hill for the last 20 years. At the time of his passing, Mark was surrounded by his family.
 Mark was born in San Jose. He attended Del Mar High School and San Jose State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with an emphasis in Chemistry. He later returned to San Jose State to receive his MBA.
 Mark began his career as a chemist and spent ten years at Syntex, a pharmaceutical company once based in Palo Alto. His accomplishments included being an integral part in the development of the arthritis treatment, Naproxyn. In 1993, he joined Gilead Sciences, which has now become a leader in the biopharmaceutical industry.
 On June 1, Mark celebrated his 20th anniversary at Gilead. As a Senior Research Scientist, his career focused on the development of many life-changing drugs through to their FDA approval.  Mark played a key role in developing Tamiflu (for treatment of flu), as well as drugs for Hepatitis B and C. Mark had a significant role in developing many drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, including the recent release of Stribild, a revolutionary single-dose combination treatment. He also co-authored numerous American, Canadian and European patents throughout his career. Mark’s scientific talents will be felt by the medical industry for years to come as other drugs continue through the development and approval process. His passing is a great loss for Gilead and the pharmaceutical industry.
 Mark loved to learn and he had numerous hobbies. He was an avid reader, traveler, photographer and gardener.  Mark’s special hobby was music. Not only did he collect music of all genres, but he also played several instruments. His favorite was the bass guitar and he played in several bands throughout his lifetime. He helped co-found Top Shelf, a local rock band in Morgan Hill. His final musical appearance was at C.L.E.F’s Cops and Robbers Ball in May.  Without a doubt, Mark led his life to the fullest.
 Mark follows the passing of his young son, Luke, his brother, Tom, and his parents, Salvador and Ethel. He is survived by his wife of almost 33 years, Deborah, their daughters, Katrina and Erica, and his brother, Dennis. He is also survived by many nephews and nieces.