Stark, Rev John Winslow (1925-1999)

STARK, OROURKE

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:00

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Thursday, December 9, 1999

Rev. John W. Stark, 74, Cedar Falls, died Monday, Dec. 6, 1999 at Covenant Medical Center of a stroke. Funeral services were held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waterloo with a 2:30 p.m. burial in Calvary Cemetery in Webster City. Flag folding services were conducted by American Legion Post 191 of Webster City. Memorials may be directed to the Priest Retirement Fund.

John Winslow Stark, son of Max and Lillian O'Rourke Stark, was born July 9, 1925 at Fort Dodge. He moved with his family at the age of 3 to a farm near Blairsburg. The family moved to a farm near Woolstock. He graduated from Lincoln High School, Webster City, in 1944. He was drafted into military service and served in the 90th Infantry Division under the command of Gen. Patton. In the fall of 1945, he attended Guildhall School of Music in London, England while awaiting an honorable discharge at Ft. Sheridan, IL. He then entered De Paul University, Chicago, graduating in 1950 with a degree in music and English. He worked for Carson Pierie Scott in Chicgo from 1950 to 1952.

In preparation for seminary, he spent a year at St. Philip Neri School for "delayed-vocations," near Boston, MA. He entered St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque in 1953 and was subsequently ordained priest by Leo Binz, Archbishop of Dubuque on Feb. 2, 1957. His first assignment was as associate pastor at Holy Family in Mason City. In 1959, he moved to Sacred Heart in Waterloo, serving there as associate and taught at Columbus from 1959-1964. In 1964, he moved to St. Athansius in Jesup as associate and taught full time at Don Bosco High School, Gilbertville. He spent a year at Sacred Heart in Dubuque and in 1970, moved to St. Patrick's in Cedar Falls, teaching once again part time at Columbus High School, Waterloo. His first assignment as pastor was of three parishes - St. Patrick's in Parkersburg, St. Mary's in Allison and St. Joseph's in New Hartford from 1973-77. He became pastor in 1977 at St. Patrick's Parish, Tama-Toledo, and then moved on to St. Joseph's in Elkader from 1984-89. His final assignment was St. Patrick's in Winthrop, serving Immaculate Conception in Masonville until his retirement at the age of 70.

Survivors are a brother, Maurice Stark of Fort Dodge, 10 nieces and nephews, 29 great-nieces and nephews and four great-great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Richard Sr.