Michael E. Stark

DURHAM, Mo. -- Michael E. Stark, 44, of Durham, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday evening (July 30, 2013) in his home in Durham surrounded by his loving family.

Mike was born Sept. 16, 1968, in Quincy, Ill., a son of C. Clayton and Heidi C. Strebe Stark. He married Cheryl Christine Chapman in Hannibal on Aug. 25, 2000. She survives.

Mike was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, serving at Camp Pendleton, from where he was deployed to Okinawa, Japan, Korea and the Philippines. He proudly served his country during Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia. Mike was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1993 with the rank of sergeant. He lived a short time in Denver, Colo., where he went to aircraft maintenance school, and returned home to Maywood in 1995. He finished his career with the United States Postal Service in 2013.

His interests were watching his son Anthony play baseball and attending Tyler's musical events, beekeeping, turkey hunting, fishing and working outdoors in the yard.

Mike was a member of Durham Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Christine, of the home; his parents, Clayton and Heidi Stark of Maywood; and two sons, Tyler and Anthony Kruse, both of the home.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Fred and Cleo Stark and Werner and Charlotte Strebe.

SERVICES: 11 a.m. Saturday in the Ball-Davis Funeral Home, Ewing, with Pastor Chris Leppert conducting. Burial with full military honors will be in Maywood Cemetery, Maywood.

VISITATION: 4 to 7 p.m. Friday in the funeral home.

MEMORIALS: Highland High School Jazz Band or to the Durham Community Ball Association.

ARRANGEMENTS: Ball-Davis Funeral Home in Ewing.

WEBSITE: www.davis-fh.com.