John Stark Obituary

Let me tell you about my brother, John Middleton Stark, or "Mid" as he was known by his family and early childhood friends. He was born April 26, 1953 in La Junta, Colorado and lived there until 1969 when he and his family moved to Colorado Springs. He graduated from Roy J. Wasson High School in 1971 and attended SMU in Dallas, Texas. He was a member of the PIKE fraternity.

My brother was a professional driver his whole adult life. He started in New York City as a cab driver and became a chauffeur in the city for a couple of years before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. He drove a cab in Las Vegas for eighteen years and took pride in the fact that he always welcomed everyone that got in his cab to Vegas and in so doing, he tried to make their ride a little more enjoyable by engaging them in conversation. I was in awe that he could get to any hotel on the strip without ever actually driving on the strip itself! After selling his condo at the height of the real estate boom, Mid traveled to Japan to spend time with a friend that he originally met in his cab! Upon returning from his "extended" vacation, he obtained his commercial drivers license and became an over the road truck driver for six years. It was during this stint that Mid learned to locate the best places for chicken fried steak, Mexican food and desserts from Oregon to the Mexican border. It is ironic that he was a driver for so long because he got lost during his very first cab fare in New York City almost 30 years before.

Mid is survived by his parents, Ed and Mary Stark, his brother Brian and sister-in-law Suzzan and his niece Ashley. He is also survived by his brother Randy and sister-in-law Mary and nephew Ben. He was preceded in death by his younger brother Judson Lee Stark.

One last thing you should know about my brother: He was named after his grandfather, Francis Middleton (Mid) Stark and was profoundly proud to carry his name. Mid passed away on September 4, 2013 from cancer.

Our family is grateful to Mid's caregivers from Pikes Peak Hospice and their kind, patient, and caring attitude towards him. Their support is what got the family through the most difficult last weeks. In lieu of flowers, please make any donation to Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care, 2550 Tenderfoot Hill Street, Colorado Springs, CO.

A celebration of Mid's life will be held at the Garden of the Gods Club @ 11:00 o'clock on Saturday, September 7th ~ Hill Room.