Lynne M. Stark

Lynne Marie Gerlach Zoellner Stark died peacefully on October 27 at her home at Claridge Court in Prairie Village in the company of her family. She died on her 89th birthday.
Lynne was born on October 27, 1936, in Peoria, IL to Hal and Hazel Gerlach when her father worked for Caterpillar. Following the war and her father's deployment at Rock Island Arsenal, the family settled in Topeka. She spent her 8th grade year in Salinas, California but homesick for Topeka, the family returned after a year. Lynne graduated from Topeka High School in 1954.
Lynne attended the University of Kansas where she joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, a choice that would reward her with dear friends for the rest of her life. She graduated in 1958 majoring in Home Economics. Following graduation, she studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and obtained her teaching certificate. She followed her future husband, John F. Zoellner to Cambridge, MA where she studied guidance and counseling at Harvard University.
Lynne and John were married in 1962 in Topeka and made their home in Mission when John took a position with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. She raised her two boys, Win and Ted, at their home in Milhaven. John died in 1980. Family trips included many years vacationing at her parents' lake cabin in Minnesota and on the family's cabin cruiser at Lake of the Ozarks.
After the boys were in college Lynne reentered the workplace as a fashion consultant at Talbots on the Plaza, a position for which she was most uniquely qualified! She received several awards for her exemplary service to her customers.
After an extended courtship, Lynne married Robert L. Stark in 1993. Before Bob's retirement from Hallmark in 1993, Lynne and Bob enjoyed many corporate trips including attending the Emmy Awards and Kennedy Center Honors. After retirement they traveled extensively throughout the United States and around the world with their many close friends. Bob survives Lynne.
Lynne's true vocation was that of serving others. After graduation she taught home economics for five years at Shawnee Mission East beginning in 1959. While the boys were in school, she was active in the PTAs of every school they attended and served as president of most. She founded the Patrons Gallery at Shawnee Mission North. Lynne joined the Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in 1965, serving in a number of leadership positions and volunteering many hundreds of hours with various League initiatives including the Nearly New Sale, Junior Great Books and a docent at the Nelson Atkins Gallery. She was chair of the Cotillion Ball that her boys were delighted to attend. Lynne was active with the corporation board of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority serving as treasurer for many years.
Lynne was initiated into her mother's chapter of PEO in Topeka in 1959 and she transferred her membership to Chapter FN in Shawnee Mission in 1965. She was an active member until her death. She served in every role possible in her 66 years of sisterhood, including several years on the State Board. She has many fond and dear PEO sisters.
Lynne joined St. Michael's and All Angels Church in 1965. She was a passionate follower of Jesus Christ through various ministries at St. Michael's. She served on the vestry, worked on her hands and knees with Gardening Angels, tediously sewed clergy vestments and rail kneelers, and labored in the kitchen for many years as she prepared hundreds of outstanding gourmet meals for the less fortunate of Kansas City. She grew close to Christ and established cherished friendships with her studies with Education for Ministry (EFM) and her Experiencing God bible study group.
Lynne's passion was entertaining. She maintained a beautiful home on 65th street for 50 years where she took great pride in her lawn and garden. She was recognized many times with the "yard of the month" in Milhaven. She was active in the homes association and advocated for the creation of Mohawk Park. Lynne was an excellent and creative cook and took great joy in setting a beautiful table and preparing a culinary delight for her family and guests.
Lynne was a voracious reader, a life-long learner, and a prolific writer of loquacious emails to her many friends. Her greatest joys, however, were her family. She was incredibly proud of her five grandchildren and marveled at their academic and extracurricular accomplishments. She attended many sporting events and performances. In 2024, she was blessed with a great grandson with whom she was enamored, reaffirming God's promise of newness of life.
Lynne is survived by her husband of 33 years, Robert L. Stark. In addition, she is survived by sons, Win Zoellner (Carol) and Ted Zoellner as well as grandsons Eric and Adam (Marlee) along with her great grandson Cameron. She will be greatly missed by step-daughter and husband Julia and Vibhu Sharma, their children Adrienne, Hayden (Nadia), and Hayley and step-son and wife Brian and Kathy Stark and their children Zachary and Megan.
She was preceded in death by husband John Zoellner, her parents Hazel and Hal Gerlach, and brother Butch Gerlach.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the St. Michael and All Angels Foundation or The Salvation Army.
A Memorial Service will be held on November 14, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael and All Angels Church, 6630 Nall Ave., Mission, KS with a reception immediately following the service. There will be a private burial ceremony.