Wayne Thomas Stark, age 81

April 17, 1942 – October 8, 2023

Wayne Thomas Stark, age 81, of rural Newton, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 8, 2023, at his home.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM – Friday, October 13, 2023, at Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Newton, Illinois, with Father Pawel Luczak, celebrating mass.  Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 PM – Thursday, October 12, 2023, at the church and again on Friday, from 10:00 to 10:30 AM in the church.  A private burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery in Wendelin, Illinois.  In loving memory of Wayne, memorials may be made to the Holy Cross Cemetery or the St Thomas School.  Arrangements are incomplete at the Meyer Funeral Home in Newton, Illinois. The obituary can be viewed, and condolences left at www.meyerfh.com.

Wayne was born on April 17, 1942, in Olney, Illinois, the son of Albert and Lorene A. (Bahl) Stark.  He graduated from Newton Community High School with the Class of 1960.

Wayne served his country in the United States Army from 1962 until his honorable discharge in 1967.

Wayne was a lifelong farmer and outdoorsman whose friends and neighbors could count on for a helping hand.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping, and trap shoots.  Wayne could build or fix most anything and took pride in those abilities.  In later years, he enjoyed reading western novels, playing pool, tending cattle, and the company of his faithful Labrador retrievers.

Wayne married Karen "Kay" Volk in 1963.  Together they raised four children, Sherry, Kimberly, Tom, and Jason.

Wayne was a member of the Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and the Sainte Marie American Legion Post #932.

Wayne is survived by:

Children – Sherry (Kelly) Geier of Newton, Illinois; Tom (Steffanie) Stark of Newton, Illinois; and Jason (Karrie) Stark of Robinson, Illinois

Grandchildren – Ashley (Derek) Ginder, Chris (Stephanie) Geier, Mitchell Stark, Zachary Stark, Sophie Stark, and Cooper Stark.

8 Great Grandchildren will also miss "Grandpa Wayne."

Sister – Kathy (Gail) Blank of Charleston, Illinois; Debra (David) Lingafelter of Willow Hill, Illinois

Several nieces and nephews also survive.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Kimberly, brother and sister-in-law Jerome and Jeanie Stark and a niece Erin Blank.