Joseph William Stark
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Joseph William Stark, 89, went to his heavenly home on December 31, 2021 after battling heart disease for several years. A Bronx native, Mr. Stark was very proud of his three daughters, four grandchildren and great grand-daughter, and the life he made with his wife, Rita, for 67 years. He was always thankful of the many blessings and opportunities God gave him, and enjoyed his church membership at Cheshire Lutheran Church. A Korean War Veteran, Mr. Stark served on a destroyer in the U.S. Navy, staying in touch with many of his fellow servicemen and attending yearly reunions around the country. He supported the U.S. military whole-heartedly and was a proud patriot. As a man of many interests and hobbies, he enjoyed following current events, genealogical research, and his mechanical gleaned through his lifelong career at Con Edison in New York City. One of his favorite hobbies was woodworking, crafting everything from large pieces of furniture to children's wooden toys. He made the life-size nativity that adorns the lawn of The Cheshire Lutheran Church at Christmas. He also enjoyed caring for the environment and conservation, planting large vegetable gardens when he could with elaborate watering systems, and later, tomato and cucumber plants in garden pots. As a retiree, he taught himself to use a computer and enjoyed emailing friends and family and doing research. He was a cross-word puzzle enthusiast, numismatist, and avid Yankee baseball fan. He enjoyed deep-sea fishing, the ocean, nautical things and a good seafood dinner. He saw many parts of the world while traveling with Rita and friends, including a trip to Germany to explore his roots. He spent several years of retirement living in Florida before moving to Cheshire to be closer to his children, and lived for more than 30 years in Carmel, N.Y. He leaves his wife, Rita, daughters Wendy Healy (Kenneth), Cindy Manning (Mark), and April Stark; grandchildren, Ryan (Stephanie), Peyton, Hannah and Nathaniel; great-granddaughter Autumn and a brother Robert Stark of Houston, Texas. His wit, generosity, tenacious spirit, and wealth of knowledge will be missed by many. A memorial service is being planned for the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cheshire Lutheran Church 660 West Main Street Cheshire, CT 06410. The Alderson-Ford Funeral of Cheshire is assisting with arrangements. For additional information or to leave words of sympathy please visit www.fordfh.com.