Mary Stark

She was born on February 20, 1926 near Pelham, Grundy County, Tennessee. She grew up in Akron, Ohio. She married after attending North High School and had three children. Mary remarried in 1955 to Donald Stark and settled in Greentown, Ohio.

Mary and Donald had one son together and moved to North Canton in 1970. They were married for 51 years until his death in 2006. Mary worked at Goodyear during the war years, had several other jobs and began an impressive career with L.A. Gross and Sons as the company bookkeeper, dispatcher, and administrator for over 40 years. Contractors enjoyed doing business with Mary because she was efficient, personable, and reliable. Mary was active in WIC’S (Women in Construction) for a number of years where she made many friends. After taking a number of classes, Mary became a Realtor after passing the Realtor’s exam. Her youngest son called her “one smart cookie”. As the matriarch of the family, she was a dynamic force with a strong will and a heart of gold. In spite of many trials and tribulations she faced, her determination enabled her to overcome them and yet maintain her wonderful sense of humor. She and Donald traveled extensively (often to Canada, Hawaii, and Alaska) but enjoyed visiting with their family more than anything.

Mary was a long time member of The Chapel in North Canton. She is survived by her four children, Cheryl (Michael) Karlo, Robert Ringer, Timothy Ringer, and Jamison (Holly) Stark; eight grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.

Friends may call Thursday from 11:00am until 1:00pm in the Karlo-Libby Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 1:00pm on Thursday at the funeral home. Interment will be in Greenlawn Memorial Park, Akron. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Chapel in North Canton.