IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Iva
Stark
November 14, 1921 – May 12, 2024
Obituary
Iva Mae Stark, 102, of Oshkosh, WI, passed away peacefully at Liberty House in Fond Du Lac, on May 12, 2024. She was born on November 14, 1921, in Bear Creek, WI, to the late Walter and Anne Christensen.
Iva graduated as Valedictorian of her class, from Bear Creek High School in 1938 at the age of 16. After high school, she moved to Green Bay where she was a Mother's Helper. She went on to put herself through beauty school in Appleton and worked her way up to owning her own salon. She served in the Marine Corps from 1942-1945, going to basic training in North Carolina, and then was stationed in Norman, OK, where she learned to repair aircrafts and eventually managed a tool crib in El Toro, CA, where she completed her military career as a Staff Sargent. She was also a member of the Women's Marine Association.
Iva met the love of her life, Clarence Stark, on a blind date. They were married on December 1st, 1945, at the parsonage of First English Lutheran Church and celebrated 47 years of marriage. She was a homemaker for many years, and once the children were grown, worked at Prange's Department Store in Oshkosh. Iva was often spotted walking around town as she never wanted to learn to drive. She always had a knitting and sewing project going to help keep her busy and was especially known for making doll clothes. In her free time, you would often find Iva working on the daily crossword and Sudoku puzzles. She also enjoyed the occasional trip to the casino and was often lucky in her play. Even at age 102, she was still able to display her love of playing the piano and organ as you could get her to sit down to play some of her favorite songs from memory.
Iva was preceded in death by her parents, Walter & Anna Christensen; her husband, Clarence; siblings, Maurice, Robert, Vivian Affeldt, John Leonard, Ervin and Leon.
She is survived her brother, Stanley Christensen; Children, Gloria (Richard) Schroeder, Dennis (Becky) Stark, Bill (Judy) Stark, Janis (Mark) Hammond and Tom (Laurie) Stark; as well as her 8 grandchildren, Greta (Schroeder) Foote, Jennifer (Schroeder) Koch, Gabe Stark, Renee (Hammond) Knutson, Timothy, Robert, Phillip Hammond, and Richie Stark; 25 great-grandchildren; and 8 great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
A big thank you to Liberty House in Fond Du Lac and Vitas Hospice Care Team for their wonderful care of her these past several weeks of her life. The family would also like to thank Janine Muza, Delaney Ives, and Carol Fenrich for their time spent caring for Iva.
An excerpt from her journal reads: "Most of all, I've learned to be kind to children - they need all the help and love you can give them."
A Visitation to honor and celebrate Iva's life will take place on Monday, May 20, 2024, at Seefeld Funeral Home, 1025 Oregon St., Oshkosh, WI, 54902 from 10:00am to 11:00am, with service to immediately follow. Her burial will be held at Ellenwood Cemetery following the service.
Iva will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and all those who had the pleasure of knowing her. May she rest in peace.
Iva graduated as Valedictorian of her class, from Bear Creek High School in 1938 at the age of 16. After high school, she moved to Green Bay where she was a Mother's Helper. She went on to put herself through beauty school in Appleton and worked her way up to owning her own salon. She served in the Marine Corps from 1942-1945, going to basic training in North Carolina, and then was stationed in Norman, OK, where she learned to repair aircrafts and eventually managed a tool crib in El Toro, CA, where she completed her military career as a Staff Sargent. She was also a member of the Women's Marine Association.
Iva met the love of her life, Clarence Stark, on a blind date. They were married on December 1st, 1945, at the parsonage of First English Lutheran Church and celebrated 47 years of marriage. She was a homemaker for many years, and once the children were grown, worked at Prange's Department Store in Oshkosh. Iva was often spotted walking around town as she never wanted to learn to drive. She always had a knitting and sewing project going to help keep her busy and was especially known for making doll clothes. In her free time, you would often find Iva working on the daily crossword and Sudoku puzzles. She also enjoyed the occasional trip to the casino and was often lucky in her play. Even at age 102, she was still able to display her love of playing the piano and organ as you could get her to sit down to play some of her favorite songs from memory.
Iva was preceded in death by her parents, Walter & Anna Christensen; her husband, Clarence; siblings, Maurice, Robert, Vivian Affeldt, John Leonard, Ervin and Leon.
She is survived her brother, Stanley Christensen; Children, Gloria (Richard) Schroeder, Dennis (Becky) Stark, Bill (Judy) Stark, Janis (Mark) Hammond and Tom (Laurie) Stark; as well as her 8 grandchildren, Greta (Schroeder) Foote, Jennifer (Schroeder) Koch, Gabe Stark, Renee (Hammond) Knutson, Timothy, Robert, Phillip Hammond, and Richie Stark; 25 great-grandchildren; and 8 great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
A big thank you to Liberty House in Fond Du Lac and Vitas Hospice Care Team for their wonderful care of her these past several weeks of her life. The family would also like to thank Janine Muza, Delaney Ives, and Carol Fenrich for their time spent caring for Iva.
An excerpt from her journal reads: "Most of all, I've learned to be kind to children - they need all the help and love you can give them."
A Visitation to honor and celebrate Iva's life will take place on Monday, May 20, 2024, at Seefeld Funeral Home, 1025 Oregon St., Oshkosh, WI, 54902 from 10:00am to 11:00am, with service to immediately follow. Her burial will be held at Ellenwood Cemetery following the service.
Iva will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and all those who had the pleasure of knowing her. May she rest in peace.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Iva Stark, please visit our flower store.
Services
Interment
May
20
Ellenwood Cemetery
Starts at 12:00 pm
Iva Stark's Guestbook
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