Richard Stark

Richard Lee Stark age 84 of Alexandria, passed away on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at the St. Cloud Hospital. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, August 18, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria. A visitation will take place on Thursday, August 17, 2017 from 4:00PM to 7:00 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home with a prayer service at 4:00 PM. Visitation will also take place one hour prior to mass at the church. Burial will take place at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls, MN, later that day.


Richard Lee Stark was born on October 14, 1932 one of six children to Clarence and Dorothy Stark of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Richard grew up in the metro area and graduated from high school there. After high school, he joined the United States Navy, serving his country from 1951 to 1953 on a naval ship during the Korean War. After he was honorably discharged from the Navy he attended college to become a licensed electrician. He worked his whole life as an electrician in the twin cities area.

It was on a blind date set up by mutual friends that he met Emily, the love of his life. The couple was united in marriage on September 1, 1956. They lived in an apartment for four years before purchasing their first home. This union was blessed with three children, Denise, Michael and Matthew. The couple raised their family in Bloomington for eleven years where Richard volunteered as a hockey coach for elementary school and high school students. Later the couple moved to Apple Valley for twenty four years before retiring and purchasing a home on Lake Latoka in Alexandria. They lived there for eleven years and then purchased a townhome on Lake Geneva.

Richard had a beautiful voice. He considered it an honor to share this talent with many organizations. He was a member of the Shriners and was part of the Channer’s group that sang in the community. He loved going to nursing homes with this group and singing, especially Christmas Carols in December. He recorded an album with the Shriners. He volunteered as the president and CEO of the local 292 Credit Union for electricians for over twenty years. Richard also enjoyed golf, bowling, hunting ducks, deer and pheasants, sharing this with his sons and grandchildren. He had a strong faith in God and country, he was very patriotic and would always have a flag displayed outside their homes, even going as far as having lights set up to display at night.

Emily and Richard would DVR the “Chaplet of Mercy Divine in Song” and pray with it often. The couple served as Eucharistic ministers in the Alexandria community for many years. On quiet nights, they could be found playing games, reading or playing cards. The family would gather for many weekends together, but Richard’s favorites were Christmas and the fourth of July, where they would stay up late playing phase 10 or lighting off fireworks. They often would take the grandchildren for special nights or weekends, just to spoil them.

Richard passed away after a long battle with cancer, on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at the St. Cloud Hospital He is survived by his wife of almost, sixty-one years, Emily; children, Denise Stark-Brezezinski, and husband, Blane, Michael stark and wife, Sheila, Matthew Stark and wife, Kelly; grandchildren, Nicole, Tony, Dan, Chris, Brad, and Kate Stark; great grandchildren, Shay Kaiser, Atari Stark, Peter Stark and Wyatt Stark; sisters, Jenny Noreen, Judy Bergren and Stephanie Moskalok. Richard is preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Dorothy Stark; brothers, Robert and Thomas Stark.
Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria.