Mary F. Stark

Mary Frances Stark age 91 of Laurel, Nebraska died on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Hillcrest Care Center in Laurel.  She is the wife of Gilmer Stark.

Funeral services will be on Monday, April 24, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Laurel with the Rev. Jeffery Warner officiating.  Burial will be at the Laurel Cemetery.  Visitation will be on Sunday, at church, from 3-5:00 p.m..  Visitation will continue one hour prior to services.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Laurel.

You may watch a livestream of the funeral at www.facebook.com/WintzRay/live

Memorials are to be directed to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Laurel.  Address: 301 Alma Laurel, NE 68745.

Pallbearers will be Russell Nitzschke, Jared Nitzschke, Tate Cunningham, Trevor Rich, Shane Stark, and Justin Stark.

Mary Frances was born on March 23, 1932 on a farm near Bloomfield, Nebraska 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 in Sioux City, Iowa.   Mary married Gilmer Stark on December 15, 1951 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Newcastle, NE.  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 where Mary and Gilmer retired.

Mary was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church and its Ladies Aide group.  Mary 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 of Laurel; six children and spouses Steven Stark of Kansas City, MO, Alan (Tiffany) Stark of Wakefield, Marlene (Stephan) Swanson of Lincoln, Carol (Jay) Nitzschke of Remsen, IA, Patti (Toby) Cunningham of Laurel, Susan (Mark) Koch of Laurel; 17 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren and one on the way; brothers Jim (Trish) Bogenrief of Ft. Myers, FL; sisters Kathy North of Jefferson, SD, Veronica Engelbeck of Ft. Myers, FL; several nieces and nephews; sisters-in-law Delores (Eugene) Bogenrief of Sioux City, IA, Delores (Ray) Bogenrief of Cedarburg, WI.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Eugene and Ola Bogenrief; two brothers Eugene Bogenrief, and Ray Bogenrief; brothers-in-law Marshall Engelbeck and Duane North.