Rita Evans Stark

Rita Evans Stark died Sunday, October 2, 2011. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, October 6th, at 3:00 p.m., at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, at Meyer Boulevard and Wornall Road, in Kansas City. Burial will be private. Rita was born January 6, 1954, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Ray and Edith Marie Evans. She attended St. Agnes School, Notre Dame de Sion, and the University of Kansas. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1976, Rita worked in convention and meeting sales at the Alameda Plaza Hotel, where she befriended many customers and coworkers. Rita was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority, the Phi Delta Theta Mother's Club, and the BOTAR (Belles of the American Royal) Organization, where she served as Ball Chairman of the 1999 Botar Ball, in addition to serving on numerous committees. U.S. Sen. (KS) Harry Darby and Edith Marie Darby, Rita's grandparents, were among the founders of BOTAR. Ray Evans, Rita's father, served as a president of the American Royal. Rita was presented at the Jewel Ball in 1973 and served on various committees. She was a past member of: the Children's Relief Association (CRA) of the Children's Mercy Hospital Auxiliary; the Junior League of Kansas City, MO; the Board of the March of Dimes of Kansas City, and the Mission Hills Parks Board. Rita was a devoted mother of her two sons' activities during their years at Belinder Elementary, Indian Hills Middle School, and Shawnee Mission East High School. Her interests were centered on her family and University of Kansas athletics. As the daughter of Ray Evans, a well-known KU athlete, and a mother who steadfastly attended his events, Rita was a devoted fan of the Jayhawks throughout her life. Rita is survived by Mrs. Ray Evans, her mother, of Prairie Village, Kansas; Benjamin, her husband, of the home; her two sons, Graham, of Kansas City, Missouri, and Neal, of the home; Julie and David Fromm, her sister and brother-in-law, of Mission Hills, Kansas; Lisa and Ken Tuchtan, her sister and brother-in-law, of Bethesda, Maryland; Ray Darby and Sarah Evans, of Prairie Village, Kansas; Allan and Nancy Stark, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, of Fairway, KS; and her much-loved aunts, cousins, nephews, and nieces. Please no flowers. Contributions to: Saint Luke's Hospital Foundation, 4225 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City, Missouri 64111, or, University of Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund, P.O. Box 47927, Wichita, Kansas 67201-4927. Condolences may be offered at www.mtmoriah-freeman.com. Arrangements under the direction of Mount Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home, Kansas City, MO.