Robert D. Stark Sr., 90, of Barker Run Road, Great Valley, N.Y., died Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, at Mercy Hospital, Buffalo, N.Y., following a short illness.
Born on June 25, 1922, in Salamanca, N.Y., he was the son of the late Howard and Lillian Bailey Stark. He was married on June 10, 1948, to the former Rosemond E. LeBlanc, who predeceased him on Sept. 1, 2004.
He was a graduate of Salamanca High School class of 1940.
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Mr. Stark was a veteran of World War II serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Rodman.
He founded the Salamanca Beverage Company with his father, Howard G. Stark, and later was joined by his brother, the late Howard W. Stark and worked there until his retirement in 1984. For the past 15 years he has worked with his daughter at Molly Brown's Sign Shop in Lakewood, N.Y.
Mr. Stark spent time each winter at his home in Port Charlotte, Fla. He enjoyed traveling, sailing his boat at Onoville, and spending time with his family and friends.
He was a former member of the Salamanca BPO Elks Lodge 1025, the Olean Elks Club. He was a 68-year member of both the American Legion Hughes-Skiba Post 535 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars John F. Ahrens Post 5296.
Surviving are three sons: R. David (Carol O'Brien) Stark Jr., Great Valley, N.Y., Terry (Chris) Stark and Ho-ward Stark, both of Sala-manca, N.Y.; two daughters: Beth (Joe) Riethmiller, Salamanca, N.Y., and Molly (Dennis) Brown, Jamestown, N.Y.; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and several brothers and sisters- in-law.
He was predeceased by two sons: Jeffrey Stark and Thomas Stark; two grandchildren; Jamie Lee Brown and Dana Stark; and a brother, Howard Stark.
Friends may call at the O'Rourke & O'Rourke Inc. Funeral Home, 25 River St., Salamanca, N.Y. on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held in the funeral home on Thursday morning at 11 a.m.
Burial will be in Green Cemetery, Great Valley, N.Y. Full military services will conducted by members of the American Legion Hughes-Skiba Post 535 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5296.
E-condolences can be sent to john@ orourke- orourke .com or posted to facebook.com/onofh.