Benjamin G. Stark

Benjamin G. Stark

1928 ~ 2018

Benjamin G. Stark was born to Charles and Ettamae Stark of Seattle. He grew up in a house his grandfather built in 1908 at the end of the street car line in Rainier Beach. Ben was oldest of six children known to neighbors as "Stark's Army".

Fearing attack during WW-2, the Family moved to a "country estate" in Kent. Ben liked neither school nor farm work. He dropped out at 16 to work on the Northern Pacific bridge crew.

After WW-2 Ben returned to graduate from Meridian High. His Father insisted he attend College. Ben chose Reed in Portland Oregon. Here he met Darryl Irene Johnson. Upon Darryl's graduation they married and moved to Newhalem where Ben surveyed the upper Skagit for the Ross Dam power lines.

Ben and Darryl returned to Rainier Beach to raise a family. He went all in, buying Western Homes Realty in Rainier Valley. He had a map of the Southend in his head. He could assess property with a drive by. Ben did not follow the "redline" policy of the time.

Ben's two passions were wooden boats and bargains; things that do not naturally go together. He rebuilt a classic 39-footer as a salmon troller. He fished out of Neah Bay, with wife and kids as crew. Ben invested in tax foreclosures; odd parcels someone else would want someday. In 1975 the family moved to a Des Moines home he bought as an FHA repo. Ben lived there until his passing.

Ben fought the SeaTac Third Runway. He attended Des Moines City council meetings. He was active in 33rd district politics. Ben proudly made his own way in life all the way to the end. With Ben's passing, an old-school Seattleite left the scene.

Ben was preceded by wife Darryl, son Steven and brother Charles. He is survived by siblings John, David, Fred, and Marietta, children Peter, Patrick, Shelley and Susan and three grandchildren.

Family thanks the staff at Kent Stafford Suites for compassionate care during Ben's last year. Please make remembrances to the King County Library System Foundation.

Memorial Service will be held

S.G.I USA Seattle Buddhist Center

3438 S. 148th St., Tukwila. Saturday April 14th at 2:00 PM.