Friends and acquaintances of Suttons Bay businessman Mark Badalamente are remembering him as a person unafraid to challenge authority, yet more than willing to help those in need.

MARK BADALAMENTE was remembered "for
making great pizza" and lending a hand to
friends in need.

Volunteers were busy Tuesday preparing Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza & Subs for a reopening planned for today. James Brewington, a Suttons Bay resident who worked at times at Sgt. Pepperoni’s, said the scurrying of people donating their time was a testament to the kindness shown by Badalamente during his lifetime.

“People are working for nothing. We want it to be a viable place in town,” said Brewington.

Badalamente died April 14 while staying at a hotel in Wixom. At the age of 47, he was charting out a new course in life after having accepted a job offer downstate. He was on the verge of selling the Suttons Bay business he started 13 years ago, Brewington said.

Family and friends were upset by coverage in the Enterprise last week following Badalamente’s death, Brewington said, particularly in publishing a picture of the business owner taken following his arrest for a misdemeanor.

(The Enterprise news staff, including myself, regret publishing the picture, which was received at deadline last Wednesday. We apologize to the friends and family of Mr. Badalamente for making a very poor decision, and regret not having found sources close to him prior to publishing the previous story.)

Several business owners did not want to talk on the record about Badalamente, but none contacted were close to him. A more descriptive glimpse of his life can be told through the words of customers of Sgt. Pepporoni’s and the people he helped through the years.

“I knew he had some rough times,” recalled John Kopchia. “He loved to sail. And he really loved people.”

When Kopchia found himself between jobs several years ago with bills piling up, Badalamente found work for him. Kopchia was living at the Red Lion Motel south of Suttons Bay at the time.

“I didn’t make much cash,” said Kopchia, “but I did get food … he kept me fed.”

Ben Hamper was a frequent buyer of pizzas from Sgt. Pepperoni’s who appreciated Badalamente’s quirky sense of humor and defiance of establishment, recalling a few years ago when he for a brief time began wearing leisure suits, braids and medallions after dying his hair blonde.

“I thought it was hilarious. I think he really enjoyed flirting with his image and doing things that upset people, to keep them on the edge,” said Hamper.

Such behavior made Badalamente an outcast in come circles, Hamper added. “My personal feeling is he’s always been ganged up on in this town,” he said.

One side of a barn north of Suttons Bay is covered by a Ron Paul for President advertisement. The barn is owned by Warren Raftshol, another Leelanau County businessman unafraid to question authority. He owns Raftshol Vineyards.

Raftshol appreciated Badalamente’s efforts to organize a “town watch” group in the late 1990s when fires were intentionally being set throughout Suttons Bay. Law enforcement officials were not quick to endorse the effort.

“He was giving authority some grief, which I appreciate even if it put a target on him,” said Raftshol.
One of Badalamente’s skills cut through social circles and political beliefs.

“He made a good pizza,” said Raftshol.

Brewington said services have already been held downstate for Badalamente, who ran a Sgt. Pepperoni’s pizza business in Kalamazoo before selling and moving to Suttons Bay. He said Badalamente’s girlfriend, Pam Hormack, plans to run the business for now and possibly to follow through on the planned sale to a former police officer.

Brewington believes a heart attack or brain aneurism will be determined as Badalamente’s cause of death. An autopsy was performed. He was found in a pool at the hotel.

“He was happy, doing what he wanted. He was making a new start,” said Brewington.