Steve Stark

Steven Christopher Stark, 74, of Fargo, North Dakota died on Friday, October 18, 2024, under the care of Hospice.

The defining force in Steve’s life was the childhood he loved and carried with him forever. Nina and Paul Stark adored their children. Their home in Excelsior, Minnesota, was playful, stimulating, and a gathering place for family and friends.

Nina was musically talented. She brought albums of Broadway musicals home from the library for Steve to listen to. She set in motion his lifetime of musical and theatrical performance. Paul, a Boy Scout Leader, and former Mayor of Excelsior, involved Steve in all aspects of scouting. Known as “The Ever-Lasting Pitcher,” Paul came home from work to play baseball with all the neighborhood children.

Summers were spent riding bikes to Excelsior Beach to swim in Lake Minnetonka, playing in the apple orchard and woods, going to the Excelsior Amusement Park, seeing movies at the movie theater, going to parades, 4th of July fireworks at “The Commons”, boat rides, going to church on weekends, and taking a yearly family road-trip. Paul would stop at every historical marker, fostering Steve’s love of history and museums.

Siblings, Sukey, Jane, Jim, and Cousin Loree, were constant companions, playing games, dressing as the Holy family at Christmas, sharing a robust sense of humor fostered by their parents.

Steve attended Minnetonka High School, where he became involved in theater productions and wrestling. He and a good friend sang together and performed for the school, and after high school, in 1969, they attended Woodstock after seeing an ad for a New York music festival where Janis Joplin would play.
When his parents moved to Fargo, Steve began his college career at NDSU, majoring in speech and theater. There he met close, life-long friends and the love of his life, Gwen, who he proposed to on their second date. He was in productions throughout his time at NDSU. Steve’s portrayal as “Snoopy” in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” brought him an offer from the Julliard School of Drama to further his education in performance toward a professional career in theater. He chose to get married instead without regret (That’s what he told Gwen). The Spectrum newspaper at NDSU was his first opportunity to do editorial cartooning, leading him to decades of published cartoons.

Steve and Gwen married in 1972 and lived their first years together in Two Harbors, Minnesota on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Steve attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, where he received his M.A. in Communications. He worked at the College of St. Scholastica as a Sports Information Director and then started drawing editorial cartoons for the Lake County News Chronicle, a weekly newspaper. He left the College of St. Scholastica when he was offered the job of publisher of the newspaper. Son Andrew was born in the Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors, where Steve was the first father ever allowed in the delivery room.

In 1980, Steve, Gwen, and 3-year-old Andy, arrived in Fargo where baby James was born at St. John’s Hospital. Steve began his work as a Communication Specialist at NDSU Extension Service. Steve had an opportunity to connect with a newspaper again, submitting weekly editorial cartoons for The Forum, continuing until 2022. In 1990, he began working as an Associate Creative Director and Senior Copy Writer for Flint Communications. When the opportunity came for Steve to work for a newspaper once again, he joined The Forum in 1996, inaugurating the Marketing Department for the newspaper, radio, and television companies. He also wrote editorials and produced over four thousand published editorial cartoons. Steve created award-winning advertising campaigns, editorials, and received a North Dakota Professional Communicators award for radio commentary & editorial cartoons. In 2000, Steve became the Executive Director at the Cass County Historical Society at Bonanzaville U.S.A. and served until 2004. Through his varied professions, Steve was a regional and national speaker doing historical presentations beginning with a portrayal of Theodore Roosevelt. Throughout twenty-six states, he gave Illustrated History Presentations, drawing on 25ft rolls of paper as he spoke.

Steve worked as an adjunct instructor at the College of St. Scholastica and the NDSU in theater, public relations, journalism, and film criticism. In 2007, Steve taught theater classes at Discovery Middle School and directed two of the play productions that year. Steve was an active Illustrator, starting with designing and illustrating theater posters as an undergraduate at NDSU. He designed and illustrated all Fargo South High play production posters for 31 years, beginning in 1981, when Gwen began her work there. He illustrated three books, participated in professional and community organizations, and did volunteer work for organizations all over the community. Steve also appeared in dozens of commercials and voice-overs starting in the early 1980’s. His involvement in the FM Community Theater and the FM Opera Company were among the many highlights of his life in Fargo.

In 2016, Steve received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the NDSU College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

Being “Mr. History” to thousands of 3rd and 4th graders throughout Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo was Steve’s most treasured professional experience. Over a span of 15 years, he presented Red River Valley history each fall and the history of Lewis & Clark each spring. He never tired of being with children.

Steve was a true family man, devoted to his wife of 52 years, Gwen, and their sons, Andrew and James, and stepdaughter Joy. He had a special relationship with his daughter-in-law Mridula, who adored him. To his grandchildren, Madelynn, Liam, and Juliana, he was the cherished “Bumpa” who played games, read books, took them to parks and the library. Every child sat with him at the table to draw, just like he had done with his sons. There was no greater joy in his life than being with his grandchildren. Friends and family alike enjoyed his ever-constant silly humor, kindness, and his ever positive outlook on life. He was larger than life and will be missed dearly.

Steve is survived by his wife, Gwen, sons, Andrew (wife Mridula, children Liam and Juliana) and James (daughter Madelynn), stepdaughter, Joy (Senna and children Karma and Lowki), mother Nina Stark, sisters Sukey (Danny) and Jane (Ed), nephews Dane (Jessica) and Eric (Erin) Skousen, Max Stark, nieces Emily (Chris) Danser, and Lila Danser.

Steve was preceded in death by his father Paul Stark, brother Jim and sister Paula.

Thank you to dear friends who have helped the family in many ways through the years and in the present. Gratitude to all of Steve’s health providers at Sanford who have given exemplary care all these years and to the staff at Sanford Hospice House who were amazing in their care, kindness, and guidance.

The family will be holding a celebration of life at First United Methodist Church in Fargo at 2pm on Saturday, October 26, 2024.