.jpg)
Mary Stark
LAUREL — Mary Frances Stark, 91, Laurel, died April 13, 2023, at Hillcrest Care Center, Laurel.
Funeral services were April 24 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Laurel, with the Rev. Jeffery Warner officiating.
Burial was at the Laurel Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Russell Nitzschke, Jared Nitzschke, Tate Cunningham, Trevor Rich, Shane Stark and Justin Stark.
Visitation was April 23 at church, and continued Monday, one hour prior to services.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Laurel.
Mary Frances was born March 23, 1932, on a farm near Bloomfield, to Eugene Benjamin and Ola Bernadine (McCormick) Bogenrief. She was baptized in the Catholic Church. Mary attended elementary Catholic boarding school in Bloomfield and attended one year of high school in Bloomfield before graduating from Central High School, Sioux City, Iowa. Mary married Gilmer Stark Dec. 15, 1951, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Newcastle. Following Gilmer’s military service, they farmed near Newcastle and lived in Sioux City, Iowa, for four years. They returned to farming north of Laurel in 1960, then moved to their present farm, from which Mary and Gilmer retired.
Mary was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church and its Ladies Aide group. She enjoyed gardening, painting, sewing, playing cards, and bowling, but most of all raising their six children and attending her children and grandchildren’s games and activities. She was a very good cook and will be remembered for her cinnamon rolls and fresh sweet corn.
Mary is survived by her husband, Gilmer, Laurel; six children and spouses, Steven Stark, Kansas City, Mo.; Alan (Tiffany) Stark, Wakefield; Marlene (Stephan) Swanson, Lincoln; Carol (Jay) Nitzschke, Remsen, Iowa; Patti (Toby) Cunningham, Laurel; Susan (Mark) Koch, Laurel; 17 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren and one on the way; brothers, Jim (Trish) Bogenrief, Ft. Myers, Fla.; sisters, Kathy North, Jefferson, S.D.; Veronica Engelbeck, Ft. Myers, Fla.; several nieces and nephews; sisters-in-law, Delores (Eugene) Bogenrief, Sioux City, Iowa; and Delores (Ray) Bogenrief, Cedarburg, Wis.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Ola Bogenrief; two brothers, Eugene Bogenrief and Ray Bogenrief; and brothers- in-law, Marshall Engelbeck and Duane North.
Memorials are to be directed to Immanuel Lutheran Church, 301 Alma St., Laurel, NE 68745.
