Mary Alice LaMaster-Stark

Mary Alice LaMaster-Stark, 87, of Manhattan, Kansas, died Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, at Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. Mary lived in the Wichita, Kansas area for many years prior to moving to Manhattan in October 2014. She was born Nov. 29, 1929, in Oak Park, Illinois to Claire G. and Estelle (Palmer) Nibbe. Mary was raised in Waukegan, Illinois where she attended both grade school and high school. After high school she attended Drake University for two years from 1945 to 1947, and later finished her bachelor's degree in education at the University of Kansas in 1952. She was united in marriage to Dan LaMaster in 1950 and they had three sons, Richard LaMaster, Fred LaMaster and Pete LaMaster. They later divorced. Mary was a homemaker while she raised her young family. In 1967, she took a teaching position at Derby High School in Derby, Kansas where she taught English for many years. In 1975, she met Wilfred Rutledge and they soon married. He would precede her in death in 1995. From 1995 until 1999, Mary kept busy with her duties as a Deaconess which included visiting the homebound. It was through this position that she met Glenn Stark while she was visiting his sister. In November 1999 they were married and had a wonderful life together until he preceded her in death in September 2014. It was at this time that she moved to Manhattan and soon became active with First Christian Church. Mary is survived by three sons, Richard "Rick" LaMaster (Sandy), of Manhattan, Kansas; Fred LaMaster (Jo), of Benton; and Pete LaMaster, of Rockledge, Florida; a brother Dr. Albert Nibbe, of Denver; a sister, Dorothy Richter, of Waukegan, Illinois; five grandchildren, Aaron LaMaster, Jenna LaMaster, Matthew LaMaster, Stacy LaMaster and Kelly LaMaster; and seven great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents and by a granddaughter, Heather LaMaster. Mrs. Stark was cremated and a private service was held Sept. 9 in Manhattan, Kansas. Donations may be made in Mrs. Stark's honor to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Saline County: Mary LaMaster-Stark Memorial Scholarship Fund. Arrangements are entrusted to Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home. Online guest book: www.ymlfuneralhome.com.