Photos from Memorial Celebration

The memorial celebration for John was glorious. Old friends came from miles away, new friends brought condolences, memories were shared. My own reaction was, "John would have loved this! It's so sad he had to miss it!!!" I will post some pictures here for all to see. To view all of the photographs, visit my facebook album at the web address below. http://www.facebook.com/editalbum.php?&aid=2056313&add=1&created=1#!/album.php?id=1054117821&aid=2056313

The Memorial Celebration for John will be held as planned on May 22nd from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Stark home, 1570 Fairfield Lane, Wichita, Kansas, 67208. We welcome all who knew and loved John to join us for this open house. Please come to share your memories and revel in those of others as we celebrate the glorious, generous, expansive and effervescent life of John Stark.

John's Edinburgh Obituary

STARK
John, LL.B, CA.

In Wichita, Kansas, on 25th March, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer, John, dearly loved son of the late David and Violet, affectionate and adored brother of Vivienne, Michael, Audrey (deceased), Gilbert, James, Dorothy and Graham, loving husband of Shirley (USA).


Sleep in peace now, the battle's o'er.

I want to write a few words about John. Even though I did not know John extremely well I do know the profound effect he had on many people, an effect that rippled out and spread sunshine everywhere.
He and Shirely were very kind to extend their hospitality to Megumi and me on the event of our wedding and to host a lively reception with food, gifts and fun. On some occasions before that I played golf with John, mostly Megumi or me in a cart with John, out at Tallgrass or over at MacDonald Park. During the last ten years we continued to play golf twice a year or so. In the dozen times I was with John at his home or on the golf course, it was clear that he was a deeply kind, generous and humane friend. He was funny of course, and scrupulously devoted to golf and his fellows on the course, and I could tell how much he was loved by all his good friends. He was generous beyond belief and begrudged nothing. One time at "Angela's" on Central, over a big plate of burritos, John advised me to counteract the "yips" on the putting green by purchasing and using the heaviest putter I could find. I went out and bought the putter and am still using it. I can't putt, but not because I have the yips. Megumi has told me many stories about John and she laughs and cries when she tells them. To know John was a privilege.

Over the last few years, John's generosity included support for Dorcas House in Tijuana, Mexico, a home for children whose parents are incarcerated in prison. http://www.dorcashousefriends.org/

JOHN

Singing in the kitchen--making homemade bread and tea,
Serving stilton--in his kilt--on New Year's Eve,
Keeping all the golf balls clean in the washing machine,
Sharing harvest from his garden--with great pride,
Catching trout beneath the ice, with Michael at his side, safely tied.

Yet what I remember most--he was a lavish, gallant host;
He opened wide his doors to hordes and hordes of carnivores
With Shirley at the table in accord.

Their table was a global sounding board--
For Europeans, Eritreans, Rastafarians, Libertarians,
Lebanese, Vietnamese, a Chinese Texan;
Mexicans, Indians, deluded young Republicans,
Bridge players, tennis players, covens of soothsayers--
Emigrants and indigents, artisans and duffers,
Musicians, foreign film buffs,
And me.
********

John, John, get your golf shoes on.
You drive the cart and we'll all find the park
Where the clubhouse is a pub called Fairfield Country Club
And gardenias are in bloom on all the tees.
Although it might be noon there's a magic August moon
And the eagles and the birds convene on every green.

The call of bagpipes and bassoon stirs the air.
Please save some mealy pudding.
I'll be there.

These photos were taken Christmas of '09. John seemed really happy to have us all there and it was probably one of my favorite Christmases with him. My niece and nephews and Dylan and I performed a little Christmas Karaoke and John seemed pretty tickled by it.
The top 2 photos are John opening my & Dylan's presents to him. In the first he's laughing quite hard, but discreetly, over a t-shirt that said, "I'm the one you've got to blow to get a drink around here."
The second is self explanatory. I think he got a kick out of it.
I don't know if he ever wore them, but I just wanted to make him laugh.













The last photo here is a portrait taken by Ihsan McCoy.
I think it captures his Great Grandfather pretty nicely.

John in his element

Here is a photo taken of John last Fall, just after the diagnosis.

Memorial Celebration for John Stark

The Memorial Celebration for John will be held on May 22nd from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Stark home, 1570 Fairfield Lane, Wichita, Kansas, 67208. All who wish to share memories of John are welcome to drop in to the open house-type celebration between these hours.

John in Guadalajara

This is a video of John and Shirley visiting Marco and Carmen in Guadalajara in 1991 with his sister Dot and her husband Bruce. Thank you Marco for sending this. It is lovely to hear John laugh.

John's favourite Golf Course ; Musselburgh Old Course

The 19th hole at Musselburgh , where John Salem shared too many Scottish beers with John!

View of Arthur's Seat (Edinburgh)

from Musselburgh Old Course

Fond memories of our last game together here in 2005 where, I believe,...........I won!

(The lengths some people will go just to avoid a return match!)

Always remembered,

Your loving sis,

Dot

David and Violet's 'wee laddie' ( Viv didn't like Davy and Vi ....too common!)

For John:


Much loved and loving son of David and Violet Stark (deceased)

Wonderful older brother to : Vivienne, Michael, Audrey (deceased), Gilbert, James, Dorothy and Graham.

Dearly loved uncle and great-uncle of the family in Scotland, England,Canada and Australia



Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and best
That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest,
Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,
And one by one crept silently to Rest.

And we, that now make merry in the Room
They left, and Summer dresses in new Bloom,
Ourselves must we beneath the Couch of Earth
Descend, ourselves to make a Couch----for whom?

Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,
Before we too into the Dust descend;
Dust into Dust, and under Dust, to lie,
Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and----sans End!

Omar Khayyam.

Pastime with Good Company

by Henry VIII


Pastime with good company
I love and shall unto I die;
Grudge who list, but none deny,
So God be pleased thus live will I.
For my pastance
Hunt, song, and dance.
My heart is set:
All goodly sport
For my comfort,
Who shall me let?

Youth must have some dalliance,
Of good or Ille some pastance;
Company methinks then best
All thoughts and fancies to dejest:
For idleness
Is chief Mistress
Of vices all.
Then who can say
But mirth and plan
Is best of all?

Company with honesty
Is virtue vices to flee:
Company is good and ill
But every man hath his free will.
The best ensue,
The worst eschew,
My mind shall be:
Virtue to use,
Vice to refuse,
Shall I use me.

Before the diagnosis

Vernon, a good guy who seems to have dropped off the face of the Earth, wanted to honor John on his 77th birthday last October by helping him organize his garage. Those of you who have seen the place know what a challenge that was. So V came to Robin and me with a proposal: if we would pay for the lumber, he would build shelves between the second and third bays in the garage. The shelves, once completed, would hold all the tools, supplies and building materials and that were scattered around on bench-tops and the floor.
V worked on the structure all day on John's birthday, nearly chopping off a finger in the process (this he "fixed" with duct tape which John helpfully provided; you can see it on the end of V's index finger). Robin tied a ribbon around the shelves and we brought John out to show him his gift. This photo was snapped at the moment of revelation. As you can see, John's grin was priceless. Oh yes: The finger healed beautifully.
Only a week later, John came down with a case of what we thought was pneumonia but which, as we all know now, turned out to be something far worse. dc

John's 80th Birthday Party

The 80th Birthday Party was really John and Linn's 50th and 30th Birthdays combined. Every hour on the hour was another odd adventure including a dancing gorrilla, two gentlemen playing bagpipes, a belly dancer, and a night topped off by Jeff and Rock blowing off fireworks in the back yard at midnight. It was a massive night. I remember the attendees included Chungs, Murphs, Howard and Lorraine, Marty, George Volmer...

I remember an August Moon

The August Moon parties were legendary. Can you remember one? Catered - out under the moon and stars in the back yard at 1570. We sometimes did our own catering and one year it was my turn. I cooked garlic - everything. Remember?

John's Family and Mable too.

My Last Visit with John - Dec. 2010

Early Years

From all here in Edinburgh...From Dot Middleton this morning with love from all in Edinburgh--
"Brother Mike and his wife, Margaret, just happened to be visiting from Southport this week ,so we all met up ( Viv and David, Graham and Lynne ) at our house, for a meal on Saturday evening - what a real sombre occasion that turned out to be! Ask not for whom the bell tolls, etc.

But, d'you know, we really did do John proud, somuchso, that I was unable to count the number of Chateau-neuf-du-Pape bottles that were stacked up outside for the garbage lorry to take away on Monday; and I was taught to count up to twenty-four!

I can't believe the 'sage' is gone."