June 29 Obituaries

Patsy Stark, 68

Patsy Winona Stark, 68, Great Falls, Mont., formerly of Portales, died Thursday, June 24, 2004, at Benefis East Hospital in Great Falls.

She was born on April 13, 1936, in Sardis, Okla., to Anna Lorraine and Charles Thomas Hamilton.

When she was a baby, the family moved from Oklahoma to Cahone, Colo. She attended high school in Dove Creek. During her junior year in high school, she married Dale Edward Davis. They were stationed in Roswell. Following the ending of that marriage, she moved her young family to California and then to Portales. She married Doyle Stark on Sept. 30, 1968, in Portales.

Family members said they enjoyed traveling in their motor home and she often decorated cakes and enjoyed listening to country Gospel music.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, David and LaRue Hamilton; two sisters, Bonnie Lee and Lana Hamilton; a son, Robert Dale “Bob” Stark; and by her husband.

Survivors include two sons, Charles Floyd “Chuck” Stark of Great Falls, Mont., Richard Lynn “Ricky” Stark (and wife, Angelina) of Iowa; and a step-son, Gene Stark of Lawton, Okla.; two step-daughters, Sondra Wylie of Oklahoma City and Renee Balthrop of Marlow, Okla.; three grandchildren, Robert Stark of Great Falls, Mont. and Cristy Nalvarte of Riverside, Calif., both of whom are adopted, and Ariel Dawn Stark of Kansas; seven step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a brother, L. Edison “Eddie” Hamilton of Bells, Texas; and a sister, Betsy Freeman of Portales.

Services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at Portales Cemetery. Tommy Kent will officiate the services.

Honorary pallbearers will be all friends and family.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Jack Sturman, 82

Jack Sturman, 82, of Tulia, Texas, died Friday, June 25, 2004, at his home.

He was born on May 21, 1922, in Elida, to John Floyd and Ruby Bell Sturman.

He was preceded in death by his wife.

He married Wanda Haislip on Dec. 24, 1950, in Portales. They moved to Tulia in 1951, where they owned and operated J-Gee Department Store for 50 years. He was a member of the American Legion, Tulia Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis and the Swisher County Industrial Foundation. He volunteered in 1942 for service in the United States Army.

Family members said his training included Peery, Ohio and Camp Campbell in Kentucky (now Fort Campbell) where they formed the Ordinance Maintenance Battalion of the 12th Armored Division. The division was deployed in France in support of Patton’s 3rd Army in its drive through France to Germany. His division was pulled out of the line by General Patton to move to the support of the embattled forces at Bastogne, gaining the title of the “Mystery Division of this Division.” The unit then veered south into Austria. He suffered injuries when his heavy equipment vehicle struck a land mine. He received the French Commemorative Medal “Croix de Guerre” (French military decoration for bravery in action) and a personal letter of commendation from then-President Harry Truman.

Survivors include a son, Craig Sturman of Amarillo; a daughter, Jeffie Hamar of Clovis; two brothers, Bill of Fresno, Calif., and Frank of Boise, Idaho; two sisters, Floydene Groves of Las Cruces and Janie Sturman of Salina, Calif.; two grandchildren, Cricket Hamar of Los Angeles and Tyler Hamar of Portales.

Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. (CDT) Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Tulia, Texas. The Rev. Charles Davenport will officiate the services.

Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery in Tulia.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 450, Tulia, Texas 79088.

Arrangements are by Wallace Funeral Home of Tulia.

Funerals today

Jack Sturman — 2 p.m. (CDT) at First Baptist Church in Tulia.

Obituary Policy

The Portales News-Tribune does not charge to publish obituaries. Space constraints and deadlines may limit what is published. Information for obituaries must come from funeral homes.