Mark Wahlberg shares a sweet photo to honor his mother Alma on her 79th birthday

Mark Wahlberg shares a sweet photo to honor his mother Alma on what would have been her 79th birthday… after she passed away three weeks ago

Mark Wahlberg paid tribute to his late mother Alma on her birthday, just weeks after she passed away following a battle with dementia.

The Ted star, 49, posted a sweet photo of himself with his mother on Thursday, which would have been her 79th birthday.

‘Happy birthday mommy❤️,’ he captioned the Instagram post.

Paying tribute: Mark Wahlberg, 49, posted a sweet photo of himself with his mother, Alma on Thursday, which would have been her 79th birthday

On April 18, Mark took to his Instagram page to share the sad news of Alma’s passing.

Under a photo of Alma smiling in a red blazer, the actor wrote: ‘My angel. Rest in peace.’

Alma was the mother of nine children including Mark, actor and New Kids On The Block singer, Donnie, 51, and celebrity chef Paul, 57, who named his Hingham, Massachusetts restaurant Alma Nove after her in 2010. 

Matriarch: Alma was the mother of nine children including Mark, actor and New Kids On The Block singer, Donnie, 51, and celebrity chef Paul, 57, who named his Hingham, Ma. restaurant Alma Nove after her in 2010

Matriarch: Alma was the mother of nine children including Mark, actor and New Kids On The Block singer, Donnie, 51, and celebrity chef Paul, 57, who named his Hingham, Ma. restaurant Alma Nove after her in 2010 

She was married to her children’s father Donald Wahlberg from 1965 to 1982. Donald passed away in 2008 at the age of 78. 

The matriarch was also grandmother to Mark’s four children Ella, 17, Michael, 15, Brendan, 12 and Grace, 11, with his wife Rhea Durham, 42. 

The day after her passing, Mark shared a photo of Alma with his family in remembrance of her relationship with her grandkids. He captioned the picture: ‘Miss you grandma❤️.’

Loving grandmother: The day after her passing, Mark shared a photo of Alma with his family in remembrance of her relationship with her grandkids. He captioned the picture: 'Miss you grandma❤️.'

Loving grandmother: The day after her passing, Mark shared a photo of Alma with his family in remembrance of her relationship with her grandkids. He captioned the picture: ‘Miss you grandma❤️.’

Alma became a fan favorite when she made appearances on Wahlbergers, an A&E reality show that ran from 2015 to 2017 and followed Mark, Donnie and Paul as they ran their Walhbergers burger chain.

In a 2014 interview with USA Today, she said that her sons convinced her to take part in the show. 

‘I was very hesitant and nervous at first,’ she said. ‘They said: ‘You can talk to a wall, Ma. You won’t have any trouble.’   

A celebrity in her own right: Alma became a fan favorite when she made appearances on Wahlbergers, an A&E reality show that ran from 2015-2017 and followed Mark, Donnie and Paul as they ran their Walhbergers burger chain. Seen in 1998

A celebrity in her own right: Alma became a fan favorite when she made appearances on Wahlbergers, an A&E reality show that ran from 2015-2017 and followed Mark, Donnie and Paul as they ran their Walhbergers burger chain. Seen in 1998