Melvin James "Mel" Stark

Melvin “Mel” Stark, age 79, of Hamilton, MT, passed away on Friday, January 11, 2019 at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, of respiratory failure. As a clergy in Eckankar for over 20 years, he lived a life of Spiritual Freedom. His love of the spiritual journey and his connection with God showed through his everyday actions. He was an example of grace in how he interacted with people.

Mel was born on Aug 9, 1939, in Santa Fe, NM, the first child of James and Mary (Klaus) Stark. When he was still very young, the family moved to Kansas. He was a 1957 graduate of Wichita High School and enlisted in the US Army in 1960. After an honorable discharge in 1963, he attended the University of Montana, earning a BS in Forestry, Class of 1968. Here he met his former wife Stormy Skeen and lifelong friends Bonner and Karen Armstrong (Helena, MT).

He worked for the US Forest Service in western Montana and northern Idaho until his retirement in 1988. Not really being someone to sit around, he continued to work various jobs throughout retirement, including tax preparer, contractor, and apartment manager.

Mel was an avid outdoors man, spending much of his life in the woods. While he liked to fish, he was an avid hunter until his health declined over the last few years. He always enjoyed a ride to scout or just “see what was there.” He could always be counted on when you filled your tag.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Don Stark.

Survivors include two sons of his only marriage, Wade Stark of Clarkston, WA, and Calvin (Lisa) Stark of Beaverton, OR, and his siblings: sister Vivian Springob of Wichita, KS; brother Tom Stark of Wichita; brother Joe Stark of Arlington, TX; sister Mary “Maggie” Bloesing of Wichita; sister Della Roe of Sioux Falls, SD, and sister Elizabeth Stark of Wichita.

A rememberance will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 1pm at the Blue Star Ranch, 970 S Shoshone Loop, Hamilton, MT (406-375-9077 or 406-210-1214).