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STARK James Edward
Birth: 6 Sep 1925 St. Louis, Mo.
Death: 22 Oct 2010 Aptos, Santa Cruz Co., Cal.
Cause of Death: Alzheimers
Burial: 28 Oct 2010 at sea off coast of Santa Cruz Co., Cal.
Notes
!PUBL
21 Feb 2011 email from Doris Widger
? James A Stark 552 18 3255 b 23 Aug 1914, d 9 Sep 1987, last resid Oakland,
Alameda Co., Cal., issued in Cal before 1951
1930 in Oakland, son of John H and Eva M Stark
Calif Birth Idx, b 23 Aug 1914, Alameda Co., mmn Shattuck
per ww1 draft reg, John H Stark is John Henderson Stark, a physician in Oakland
but in a rootsweb posting, a Sue Ann Stark Eichenbaum gives James Andrew Stark as
her father, son of John Henderson Stark
awt Kirkwood Widger Family
http://pacificgardenschapel.com/obituary_view/10012663
James E. Stark, 85, passed away unexpectedly October 22, 2010 at Dominican
Hospital .He is survived by his loving wife of twenty-six years, Ann Tanner Stark, two
daughters Cynthia A. Swensen (Alan) and Christine M. Eddow (Jim) and six
grandchildren, Chelsea, Ashley, and Alan Jr., Swensen, Kyle Jaynes, and Blake and
Dylan Eddow, his niece Kathryn Hill (Paul), a nephew, James Foard, two great
nephews Chris Hill and Greg Hill, and many more nephews and nieces by marriage.
Jim was born in St. Louis, MO, on September 6, 1925, and spent his early childhood in
Mountain Grove, Missouri, with his grandparents at their farm. His parents were James
Ova Stark and Gertrude Ruth Byer Stark. In 1933, during the depression, Jim, his
brother Jerry and sister Betty came to San Francisco, California, with their mother. His
father remained at his work in St. Louis and joined them later. Jim attended elementary
school and Polytechnic High School in San Francisco. He served in the US Navy from
1943 to November 1945 and then returned to Polytechnic High School, graduating in
January, 1947. By then he had married his high school sweetheart Eunice Mary
Kirkwood Stark.
Jim continued his education at University of California, Berkeley, School of Business
Administration, and graduated in 1951 with a B.Sc. He then commenced a long career
in the automobile industry, working first for Chevrolet and then American Motors. The
family moved to Michigan in 1967 and Jim became National Fleet Sales Manager.
Eunice's health concerns brought the family back to California in 1976 and she died
that year at their home in Los Altos.
The nineteen-eighties found Jim retired and moving to Aptos. He and Ann were
married in October, 1984. They toured Europe for a year camping in twenty-one
countries in a
Volkswagen "Vanagon". When they returned, Jim did some serious sailing up and
down the coast and part owned a Catalina 30 at Santa Cruz Harbor. He joined Habitat
for Humanity and helped to build twenty-four homes in Santa Cruz County, going to the
sites every Tuesday and Saturday and extra days when needed. He was very proud of
working alongside President Carter on an Indian Reservation in South Dakota, during
a one week "Blitz Build" in 1993. He also worked as a volunteer with the Friends of
Hospice, helping with small building projects.
Always a family man, Jim's happiest days were when his grandchildren were born and
they remember him as a fun loving, joyful grandpa. He was a very active man and
never too tired or unwilling to spend time with them. He enjoyed football and rooted for
his Sturdy Golden Bears and the San Francisco 49' ers in their hey day.
Jim endured the slow progression of Alzheimer's disease for the last five years and
most recently was living for several months at Maple House 11. The family wishes to
thank Sarah Chen and the dedicated staff and caregivers for their loving care,
kindness and patience.
A celebration of Jim's life will be held at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel 1050
Cayuga St, Santa Cruz, CA on Thursday October 28 at 11:00 am, followed by a
reception at Michael's on Main, 2591 Main St, Soquel, CA.
In lieu of flowers the family prefers contributions be made in Jim's honor to Habitat For
Humanity, 1014 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 or to Alzheimer's Association of
Santa Cruz, 1777 Capitola Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Parents
STARK James Ova ()
BYER Gertrude Ruth ()
Siblings
STARK James Edward (6 Sep 1925 - 22 Oct 2010)
Marriage To KIRKWOOD Eunice Mary (26 Feb 1925 - 24 Dec 1977)
m. EST 1955
Notes
Parents
KIRKWOOD Seth Brower (9 Jun 1905 - 30 Oct 1960)
MAULE Eunice May (29 Jun 1905 - 9 Sep 1976)
Children by KIRKWOOD Eunice Mary 26 Feb 1925 - 24 Dec 1977
STARK Cynthia A. ("Cindy") ()
STARK Christine M. ()
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