John Edward Stark, of Boothbay, owner of John Stark Plumbing & Heating, Inc., died after a long illness on Feb. 13 in the Gregory Wing, St. Andrews Village, Boothbay Harbor.
He was born in 1925 in Springfield, Mass., the son of Walter and Helen Colebrook Stark. He grew up in Bennington, Vt. and joined the U.S. Navy shortly after the start of WWII. He served in combat during WWII on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger and was later sunk in the North Sea. He then served on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Bennington in the Pacific Theater under Admiral Halsey.
After the war he traveled extensively as a marine engineer. He attended Alfred University and Goddard College and briefly worked in Jones Brothers Stone Sheds in Vermont, where he pioneered using wire saws to cut granite and using granite as surface plates for industries.
In 1961, with a partner, he established Stark & Miller Plumbing & Electrical. He then helped to build most of the hotels, beach resorts, the hospital, banks and restaurants on St. Thomas in the American Virgin Islands during the 1960s.
In 1970, he moved his growing family to Boothbay and established John Stark Plumbing & Heating, Inc. For the next 35 years, as a Master Plumber and Burner man, he served the Boothbay Region in the repair and installation of plumbing and heating systems.
John spent his life nurturing his love of animals, was proud of his military service and his family. He established his dream of being a good father and lived to be a grandfather and great-grandfather. With his wife, Joan, they lived on a farm in New England and raised Labrador Retrievers as well as enjoying all their horses, chickens, pigs, geese, ducks, raccoons, cats and dogs. John never left home without his dog.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Joan Stark of Boothbay; sons, John Michael Stark and wife Susan Green of Marshfield, Vt., James Edward Stark of Redway, Cal., and Jamie John Stark and companion Virginia Wagner of Marshall, Va.; daughter, Molly Stark of Boothbay; daughter-in-law, Eliza Perry of Brunswick; grandchildren, Ian Johnstone and wife Shawnette of New York City, Sandea Green-Stark of New York City, Lissa Green-Stark of Boston, Mass., Amanda Stark and Robert Stark of Brunswick; and Jacob Stark and Sophie Stark, both of Boothbay; and great-grandson, Jayden Johnstone of New York City.
Celebration of his life 4 p.m., Sat., Feb. 23 at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, Emery Lane, Boothbay Harbor.
Committal service with Military Honors 10 a.m., Mon., Feb. 25 at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mt. Vernon Road, Augusta.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 7, Edgecomb, ME 04556.
Arrangements are entrusted to Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Boothbay.
