Raymond Valentine Stark

Raymond Valentine Stark, 91, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. He was born in New York City on December 23, 1930 as the oldest son of Maria and Valentine Stark. When he was nine years old his family moved to Jamestown, NY, at the southern end of Lake Chautauqua, a place he called home long after he had married and moved away. He graduated from Jamestown High School in 1948 with a large community of life-long friends. After high school he enlisted in the United States Navy and served proudly for four years as a Medic spending part of that time on the U.S.S. Hollis. He subsequently attended Allegheny College in Meadville, PA on the GI Bill and graduated in January of 1959 with a degree in Economics.

He was hired immediately after college by the General Electric Corporation and spent his entire career with the company, retiring in 1987. His career took him and his family to Lynn, MA, Hickory, NC, Rutland, VT, Dunedin, FL, Parsippany, NJ, and West Redding, CT. He began as a trainee in Human Relations and was then promoted to Director of the Human Relations Management Program (RMP) in mid-1960. At one point in his career he became the manager of General Learning which was a joint venture between Time, Inc. and GE. Through that organization he started a day care center on site at the General Learning Facility in Morristown, New Jersey.

After his tenure with General Learning he returned to General Electric corporate headquarters in New York City and then Fairfield, CT, as manager of Human Resources. In his distinguished career, he recruited, trained, placed and promoted men and women for Human Relations positions in GE world wide.

After retirement Ray and his wife moved to New Bern, NC where he was active in the Newcomers Organization and as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer. He chaired the Newcomers Boating group for several years and served as treasurer of the Newcomers Organization. He and his wife were members of the New Bern Yacht Club and traveled with them by boat on many excursions on the Trent and Neuse Rivers.

Ray was an avid out-doors man all of his life. He enjoyed many winter sports, especially skiing, as a younger man and continued to enjoy camping, boating, and gardening well into his 80s. He also loved music, especially big-band selections and was always first onto the dance floor when the opportunity arose.

After moving to New Bern, Ray and his wife established a summer residence at Camp Chautauqua in NY where they spent nearly 30 summers hosting several generations of family, socializing with old friends and building new friendships. He was very proud of his Swedish heritage and belonged to the Viking Club of Jamestown which led his grandchildren to fondly nickname him “Grand Poobah”.

He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church and also attended Rhems United Methodist Church during the past few years. In addition, as a member of the Commission on Ministry he designed a competency model for the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina to help select appropriate candidates for the Episcopal Ministry.

He is survived by his devoted wife Rosemary Leet Stark, and his dear sister, Norma Stark Clement. Ray also leaves three loving children and their spouses: James Randall Stark (Laurie Ohlandt), Melinda Stark Ferreira (Steven Ferreira), and Mary Allison Stark Bamford (Paul Bamford). In addition he is survived by seven grandchildren Sierra Danielle Stark, Katrina Michelle Stark, Heather Marie Wohl, Amanda Suzanne Pickert, Taylor Lynn Ferreira , Eric Stephen Bamford, Dana Lynn Bamford and four great grandchildren Joseph Abling, Christian Butera, Guiliana Butera, and Coty Del Valle.

The family wishes to thank the Community Hospice for their care for Ray in the last three months of his life, especially RN Bonnie Tinsley and Health aide Deborah Morgan, as well as the staff at Home Place of New Bern where he was living.

Calling Hours will be held at the Cotten Funeral Home on Friday, January 28th from 7 to 9 p.m. A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 29th at 2 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church on the corner of Middle and Pollock streets, with the Reverend Paul Canady as officiant.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Habitat for Humanity of Craven County at 930 Pollock Street, New Bern, NC, 28562 or Interfaith Refugee Ministry at 1913 Trent Blvd, New Bern, NC 28560.

The Cotten Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to serve the friends and family of Raymond V. Stark.