JOHN STARK 1958 - 1984 PILOT MCI DEN Let me know if this comes through OK. Mike, Did you see this ? John Stark Gone West Obituary in Lincoln Journal 8/13/05 -Cork Guenther, LNKOOFL (8/13/05) OBITUARY John W. Stark, 75, Seward, died Thursday (8/11/05). Born, Sept. 3, 1929. Earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Oklahoma State University. Served, United States Army, 17 years. Former pilot with Trans-World Airlines and Frontier Airlines. Member: Seward United Methodist Church; National Rifle Association; lifetime member, VFW Post 4755, Seward; American Legion Post 19, York; Oliver Lodge No. 38 A.F & A.M., Seward; OES No. 199, Utica; Seward Kiwanis Club, Kitones; Relative Harmony. Survivors: wife, Eleanor Stark, Seward; children, spouses, Jerry and Donna Stark, Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., James Stark, Nancye and Ricky Calkins, all Kansas City, Mo., Ric and Cheryl MacKenzie, Sidney, Scott and Gayla MacKenzie, North Platte, Kris and Morey Bayne, Hershey; 14 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law, spouses, Neil and Donna Wurst, Milford, Phil and Sally Wurst, Russell Keller, all Seward; nieces, nephews, cousins, friends. Preceded in death by: parents, Paul H. and Veea L. (Umber) Stark; sister, brother-in-law, Ruth Stark and Bob Domin; brother, Paul Stark Jr.; sister-in-law, Marion Keller. Memorial services, with full military honors: 10:30 a.m. Monday, Seward United Methodist Church. The Rev. Eric Ford. Burial, 11 a.m. Tuesday, Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell. Cremation; no visitation. Signing of the Remembrance Book: 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Wood-Zabka Funeral Home, Seward. Memorials to the family to be designated later. Published in the Lincoln Journal Star from 8/12/2005 - 8/13/2005. -Sent by Cork Guenther (8/13/05) Obituary John W. Stark, 75, Seward, died Thursday (8/11/05). Memorial services, with full military honors: 10:30 a.m. today, Seward United Methodist Church. Burial, 11 a.m. Tuesday, Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell. Cremation; no visitation. Wood-Zabka Funeral Home, Seward. Memorials: family, to be designated later. -Lincoln Journal Star from 8/14/2005 - 8/15/2005. Email to Cork: Thanks so much for this info. John was one of my favorite pilots. A great guy. -Jake Lamkins (8/13/05) I have many fond memories of John from my years at Frontier Airlines. John was a favorite captain at FYV because of his ability to land in marginal weather. He was famous for his genial personality, his love of the donuts we kept stocked in operations and his flying skills. When questioned about his ability to land at FYV, John said, "If I can get low enough to see those 3 chicken houses, I hang a hard left and I'm at the end of the runway." He was a great guy and I, along with many others in the FLamily, mourn his passing. Online guestbook at http://www.legacy.com/journalstar/Guestbook.asp?Page=Guestbook&PersonID=14805625 -Jake Lamkins (8/13/05) One of the really GOOD guys has flown west ...... Captain Johnny Stark Those of you on Jake's mail list will already have seen this .. Jake - hope you don't mind me copying and sending your note to the guys on my list. -Phil Stallings (8/13/05) Captain John Stark left an indelible impression on those of us fortunate to have shared his cockpit. He was a "Diamond in the Rough!" ...and he really lit up the ol' crew room with that generous grin of his. We have great memories of John and are very sorry to learn of his passing all too soon. As he lines up on Runway 27 for his Flight West, we wish him smooth air, warm-soft tailwinds, and a bright start to steer by... Blue Skies & Tailwinds... -Billy Walker (8/13/05) John was one of those guys I would go out of my way to fly with, Billy. And, one I have truly missed having around in my life since '86 -Phil Stallings (8/13/05) Was certainly sorry to hear of John Stark's passing, he was a wonderful guy to be around. -Ken Stewart (8/13/05) John Stark was a pilot's pilot. I often marveled at his skill, particularly his ability to put large aircraft down on the runway numbers when landing. Let me share an incident he related to me one time: John was captain on a CV580, on a trip landing at one of the small Nebraska stations. (Forgive me for not remembering which one). John said on short final, they encountered a cross wind gust so powerful, the plane suddenly was headed for a cornfield instead of the runway. John said he firewalled the throttles and remembers just skimming the tops of the corn as he recovered the aircraft. John related that he looked over at his low time co-pilot, who was white as a sheet and immobilized by the thought that they were done for. After successfully landing the plane, John said he chewed out the co-pilot, not because he was scared, (anyone would have been) but because in John's words, "Let that be a lesson to you. NEVER quit trying to fly the aircraft out of trouble." I think John would be happy to know that I related this idea to my son, now a professional pilot himself, during his training days. I hope the lesson sticks with him. John was always good for a story, and genuinely enjoyed just hanging out at the airport and shooting the breeze. His wit and folksy humor will be missed. -Steve Burger (8/15/05) He was my favorite,,,,and I have stories - always a gentleman. -Skip Pennyweight (8/17/05) The stories of John's exploits are too numerous to mention. I would imagine anyone who ever met him would agree. The time the MCI Chief Pilot called him into his office to bring him on the carpet for wearing cowboy boots when flying is an example. His reply was they weren't cowboy boots, they were western boots. He then explained the difference between them as to what stuck to the cowboy boots. John will be missed -Don Porter (8/15/05) John and Willy Hurt used to fly into North Platte. We were always glad to see them and Willy got out to help load pit three a couple of times. He was strong as a bull. They would always let you ride the jump seat then and were a lot of fun. -Duane Franklin (8/15/05) I know that many of us have a personal story about our relationships with John and I thought I would share one. We were on a flight into GJT just at about the time the first "Star Wars" movie was released. The movie promotion apparently called for Darth Vader to arrive in GJT on our flight and be welcomed by a crowd of well wishers as he descended the airstair. John was not up to speed on the latest movies at the time and had no idea who Darth Vader was. But John, being the gentleman he was, introduced himself to the character in full costume and addressed him as Mr. Vader. He had us totally disabled with laughter by his comments and discussion about Mr. Vader for the rest of the month. I always enjoyed the telling of his lastest encounter with Capt. Lockett over his wearing the "western boots". I wore the same kind of boot and never heard a word. I think it was just a little ritual that Capt. John and Capt. Lockett had with little or no malice involved. -Jim Currie (8/23/05) I was wondering if you knew the Capt. John Stark had passed away?? Info can be googled at John Stark, Seward, NE. He was a DC3, 580 and 737 Capt. -Jerry Schultz (7/23/08) Thanks, Jerry. John Stark was a great guy. His memorial webpage at the FL website is http://DENFL. tripod.com/ John_Stark. html We could coax him into landing at FYV during bad weather by radioing, "We got some donuts down here, John!" When asked how he got into FYV during bad wx when everybody else overflew, he said, "If I can get down where I can see those three chicken houses, I just hang a hard left." He was one-of-a-kind! -Jake Lamkins (7/23/08) J. W. STARK Pilot seniority date of 12/10/58 on the 9/1/81 FL/ALPA seniority list. He is not on the 9/1/85 seniority list. The weblink that Jerry sent had a pic of John which we needed. -Jake Lamkins (7/23/08) I only live less than 50 miles from where John Stark retired. I visited a couple of times after I found him. I always enjoyed visiting with him when he flew through OLU. Like you said no matter how bad the WX was we would just check them in, John would be in. I really miss going to see him and just visiting. -Jerry Schultz (7/24/08) John Stark, 1958-84, pilot Thanks to Jerry Schultz I found a pic of John to dress up his webpage. It was on the funeral home obituary for John. That obituary says John flew for TW before FL and that he holds the record of the most flight hours for a 580 pilot. Does anyone have more info on those two statements? -Jake Lamkins (7/28/08) JOHN STARK 1958 - 1984 PILOT DEN http://FAL-1.tripod.com/John_Stark.html I found a few more pix of John. Post your remembrances. -Jake Lamkins (10/9/09) J. W. STARK DEN co-pilot DOB 9/3/29 DOH 12/22/58 per the Feb 1960 FL Roster. -Jake Lamkins (7/25/14) FLacebook - FL Club MCI DEN pilot John Stark's memorial webpage has been updated. http://FAL-1.tripod.com/John_Stark.html Just a terrific guy! -Jake Lamkins (8/27/14) A fine fellow in all senses. Great to work with and always a grin on his face -Don Porter (8/27/14) Good man .... but he did try to blow my hat off with reversed pitch props one day.... -Dave Mann (8/27/14) John did my friend Ken Schmale and I a great favor on a hunting trip from Lincoln to Alliance NE. He was that kind of a man, helping others. -Larry Harms (8/28/14) Flew the ole DC-3 with him he was always full of fun. -Ruth Pitts (8/30/14) He flew through BFF and was a great person. -David Rice (10/13/14) A great guy and pilot. -Bill Leis (10/14/14) FLacebook Tom Dawes I have to agree but in my brief time with FAL when the livery was being changed from the “boomerang and arrow” some very old school captains I flew with on the 580 were not happy with it. “OK for the jet but not the 580”. I remember one of my favorite captains saying— “Airlines don’t have logos, they have emblems”. And If I remember correctly, with the new uniform pilots were not allowed to wear cowboy boots. I asked Captain Stark about this and he said he was wearing western boots and didn’t suppose I knew the difference. He explained that cowboy boots have horse sh— on them. Jake Lamkins John Stark - what a great guy! He would land in bad weather at FYV when everyone else overflew. I asked him about it and he said, "Jake, If I can get low enough to see those three chicken houses then a hard left puts me on the end of the runway." When John came through we always put some doughnuts on the arinc radio to warm them up for him. If the weather was bad, the ops agent would tell John, "Mmmmm, these doughnuts are sure smelling good, John." "I'll be there in a minute," he'd come back and very seldom did he overfly us. Tom Dawes Great guy- a joy to fly with! Keith Sturgeon Stark was a HOOT (6/28/19) FLacebook Barb Womack Some of my keepsakes. The key at the top was to Scottsbluff Nebraska. Spent a lot of time in that town during the courtship of big E by one of my favorite captains, Johnnie Stark. Keith Sturgeon Johnnie Stark was quite a guy. Spent a lot in Fort Smith during his lay overs. Jake Lamkins Yes, indeed! I'm a big fan of his! We stocked doughnuts in FYV for John. He almost always got in during bad weather. "If I can get low enough to see those three chicken houses, I'll be there, Jake." Barb Womack Jake Lamkins he was one of a kind! Don Porter Remember John well. He came through LNK often. Don Miller I too remember him from the days at LNK. David Rice John was a great pilot and friend. (8/2/20) Steve Burger Capt. Stark was a true original. He related an incident on landing in one of the western NE airports in a CV 580. They encountered wind shear on short final and ended up 90 degrees to the runway, nearly clipping the tops off of corn stalks as they worked a go around. John said the FO was white as a sheet. John's speech to the FO was, "Never give up son! As long as you're still in the air, never give up!" At least that's how he related the incident to me some years later, probably when I was in JLN in the late 70s. (8/5/20)