Darrel Stark

Darrel Stark was a big kid trapped in a man’s body, a man with a child’s heart under a mountain of strength. Darrel was an incredible man, who never lost his sense of wonder, or the joy he found throughout his days. He found his greatest joy in his beautiful family, as a loving husband, father, brother, and friend. Most of all, Darrel was a man who loved to learn, and loved to live, and taught us to do the same.

Darrel’s story began on a hot summer day in 1946, in the bustling city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Those were exciting times in this country, as our nation celebrated its victory in World War II, and was busy rebuilding the economy in a new era. On August 25, 1946, Fred and Fredah Stark celebrated the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Darrel William.

Darrel was such a blessing to the family, who had lost his older brother Eugene before he was born. Their newborn baby boy joined his six older sisters in the family’s home in Sparta, where his dad worked in the foundry, and his mom was a cook at the high school.

With a 15-year age difference between Darrel and his oldest sister, the girls naturally looked after their baby brother growing up, and really helped raise him. They called him “Darrel Billy Butchie Stark!” – the first of several nicknames he’d have in his lifetime.

The family took vacations up north together over the years, staying in cabins, going fishing or boating, where Darrel’s lifelong love for the outdoors was formed.

When Darrel was in high school, he began working at the airport, where he also studied to earn his pilot’s license. One of Darrel’s proudest days was taking his parents for a ride for the first time!

After he graduated from high school, Darrel began taking classes at Grand Rapids Junior College, but with the Vietnam War going on overseas, he knew it was only a matter of time before he would be drafted. So Darrel went and enlisted, serving in the Honor Guard and stationed in Georgia.

After his two-year tour of duty was up, Darrel returned home to Michigan, and began attending Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. After two years at WMU, Darrel earned his Marketing and Business degree, and set out to find his fortune.

He soon found a good job with the Carnation Company. Darrel was a born salesman, inquisitive, funny and personable, and loved the job and working with people. After a while at Carnation, Darrel took a new, better job at Burroughs, selling business machines.

His professional life in place, it wasn’t long before his personal life began to bloom, as well. One night he was out with some friends, when he met a beautiful young woman named Annette Folkringa at a local establishment. His friend quite literally pushed them together! Annette was attracted to Darrel anyway, being an older, outgoing and handsome man, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her, either. They talked, set up a date, and she forgot her wallet, so he called to return it, too.

After dating for a brief time, it didn’t take them long to realize they were right for each other. One night they were sipping champagne and gazing at the stars together though Darrel’s sunroof, when he proposed to her! She said yes, and the happy couple was soon married, on December 3, 1976, at Central Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, less than a year after meeting.

The newlyweds honeymooned on Marco Island, Florida, before returning home and settling into a lovely home on Widdicomb NW. Darrel sold his boat to afford the down payment, doing whatever he had to do to provide for his bride and soon-to-be-growing family.

Before they knew it, Darrel and Annette were the proud parents of three fine children, first with Matthew in 1977, then Brenden in 1979, and Sarah rounded out the happy family in 1986. Darrel was a great dad, who loved spending time with his kids. He was incredibly supportive of their interests, framing all the awards and accolades they brought home, and instilled in them a love for learning, for the arts, and for music. He loved propping Brenden up on his lap, and letting him play guitar with him.

Darrel loved to cook for his family, and made the majority of the meals in their household. He was famous for his cheesecake, and for Sarah’s Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, which was always a crowd-pleaser. He loved to learn new recipes, though, and devoured cooking shows like Emeril and Wolfgang Puck.

As Darrel’s sales career grew, he began traveling more around the country, and made every effort to bring his family along with him, too. They took a motorhome out to Yellowstone National Park, and even visited Hawaii on one of dad’s sales trips. But he was a Michigan man at heart, and seemed to know everything there was to know about his home state.

Darrel along with Roger Sonneveldt and Ken Merkins and all the amazing and dedicated staff, grew an incredible company called Centron Data Services, Inc. He was a visionary and believed in Centron with all his heart. His business knowledge and integrity were unprecedented. He was a leader and a true inspiration. Everybody adored him, the way he treated people was a true example of how we should all treat people. He always got excited about new customers and growth. One of his dreams was to build Centron and it was met. It has been blessed with great success.

Darrel was far from all work and no play, though. He loved the arts, and he and Annette were supporters of the Civic Theatre and the local musical talent, and enjoyed seeing his favorite local folk band, Potato Moon.

Darrel loved to work in his yard and garden, which he turned into a park-like setting. He was committed to the church but always felt closest to the Lord in the outdoors, whether under the sun or looking at the stars. Darrel loved to look at the stars, gazing with the wonderment he held as a boy. That was Darrel, though, always looking to the Heavens, with a sense of wonder and optimism.

Darrel’s faith was tested in March of 2003, when his son Matthew took his own life. Darrel was devastated and since then he would go out into the yard at night, sipping a glass of Jim Beam, looking at the stars and talking to Matt.

Darrel found solace in his family and many friends, and later on enjoyed going on fishing trips with “the boys.” And he enjoyed tending to his yard and garden, just as he always did.

Sadly, Darrel died suddenly on Saturday, October 4, 2008, while working in his yard. He was 62.

Darrel was such a wonderful man, a man with kid’s heart under a mountain of strength. He was a loving husband and father, and a good friend to so many, but more than anything, Darrel was a man who loved to learn, and loved to live. Today his life, and his lessons, live on in all who knew him. He will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his son, Matthew; parents, Fred (Fredah) Stark; siblings, Eugene Stark, Caroline Carpenter, and Lyn Babbitt; in-laws, Alan (Margaret) Folkringa; and brother-in-law, Don Schaefer. Darrel is survived by his wife, Annette; children, Brenden Stark and Sarah Stark; siblings, Marlene (Roy) Andrus Elaine (Bud) Carlson, Lucynne Schaefer, and Merle (Jerry) Proctor; sister in-law and brothers-in-law, Renee (Bob) Rietema, John (Nancy) Folkringa, Paul Babbitt, and Bob (Pat) Carpenter; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1 PM on Thursday at Shawnee Park Christian Reformed Church, 2255 Tecumseh Dr. SE Grand Rapids 49506. Friends may meet his family from 2-4 and 6-8 PM on Wednesday at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW Grand Rapids 49504. In memory of his son, Matthew, memorial contributions may be made to West Michigan Survivors of Suicide. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a memory, photo or sign the guestbook.