Mary Elizabeth Stark

MARY ELIZABETH HIESTAND STARK OBITUARY MARY STARK PASSED AWAY DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017, AT HER NEW HOME ON SWEPPS ROAD IN HERNDON, PENNSYLVANIA. MARY WAS 91 YEARS OF AGE. SHE WAS BORN ON DECEMBER 11, 1925 IN LANCASTER AND WAS THE DAUGHTER OF BERNICE AND FITZGERALD HIESTAND OF MARIETTA, PENNSYLVANIA. SHE MARRIED DR. RICHARD JAMES STARK ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1951 WHO PRECEDED HER IN DEATH ON FEBRUARY 20, 2003. DR. STARK FOUNDED AND OPERATED THE DALHERN MEDICAL CENTER IN MANDATA BETWEEN 1958 AND 1988. MARY WAS A 1944 GRADUATE OF MARIETTA HIGH SCHOOL AND A 1948 GRADUATE OF THE DELAWARE HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES CADET NURSE CORP OF WORLD WAR II. MARY WAS AN AVID EQUESTRIAN IN HER YOUTH, A SENIOR SERVICE SCOUT IN WORLD WAR II, EDITOR OF THE "SPOTLIGHT" IN HIGH SCHOOL, A VOLUNTEER IN CIVIC AND WARTIME ORGANIZATIONS, A PUBLISHED POET, AND DELVED INTO POETRY AND WOOD CARVING. SHE ALSO WROTE THE ALMA MATER FOR THE LINE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CREATED THE 1973 LOWER MAHANOY TOWNSHIP BICENTENNIAL SEAL. MARY WAS A GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE LATE ELIZABETH FITZGERALD AND HENRY HIESTAND OF MARIETTA. MARY'S PRIDE IN THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HER ANCESTORS IN THE FOUNDING OF LANCASTER COUNTY IS ONLY EXCEEDED BY HER PRIDE IN HER CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA SINCE 1963 IN HONOR OF HER LATE PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER, ELIZABETH FITGERALD HIESTAND. SHE AND HER LATE HUSBAND LOVED THE OUTDOORS. THEY WERE CLOSE COMPANIONS WHO ENJOYED HUNTING AND FISHING. MARY USED TO SAY WITH A SMILE, "I AM THE MAN BEHIND THE MAN WITH THE GUN." MARY IS SURVIVED BY FIVE CHILDREN: RICHARD MICHAEL STARK OF PLATTE CITY (MISSOURI), KERRY FITZGERALD STARK OF SHAMOKIN DAM, MARY BONNYLIN STARK RIGGLE OF MANHEIM, DEGG HIESTAND STARK OF SUNBURY, AND LAURIE ELIZABETH STARK KERSTETTER OF HERNDON. MARY ALSO HAS NINE GRANDCHILDREN AND SEVEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. MARY'S SON, GAVIN HIESTAND STARK, PRECEDED HER IN DEATH IN 1960. HER BROTHER, THE LATE DR. FITZGERALD HIESTAND, JR. OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA PASSED AWAY IN 2002. IN KEEPING WITH MARY'S WISHES, THERE WILL BE NO MEMORIAL SERVICE. A GRAVESIDE SERVICE WILL BE HELD IN MARIETTA AT THE CONVENIENCE OF THE FAMILY. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, ALL DONATIONS SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE VNA HEALTH SYSTEM (CROSSINGS HOSPICE) AT 21 WEST INDEPENDENCE STREET, SHAMOKIN, PA 17872.

Mary Elizabeth Stark

December 11, 1925 - September 13, 2017