Page 70 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - September 2016

Stark Raving Fans

“Whether he was at the ALA convention, the Dallas Market, or on the dance

oor, David was tireless. With a glass of ‘the cheapest white wine you’ve got’

(on ice of course), David was the darling of the ball.” —David May, Minka

David May of Minka has fond memories of David. family, like many, was blessed to have David a end
“Who would have thought one man could touch so a number of events from graduations to weddings.

many? All of us feel the loss of a great friend in David His presence was like that of a personal a aché,
Stark. Known by many, forgo en by few, David was meeting and greeting and taking time to talk with

the quintessential salesman. Always pressed and everyone while employing his unique sense of hu-

polite, ready to o er a hearty handshake topped mor and conversation,” May says.
with his beaming smile, David was a great commu- “Whether he was at the ALA convention, the Dal-

nicator,” he shares.
las Market, or on the dance oor, David was tireless.
“The rst time I met David was in 1988. As a young With a glass of ‘the cheapest white wine you’ve got’

sales representative for Fredrick Ramond, I was call- (on ice of course), David was the darling of the ball.

ing on Billing’s Lighting in Tucson. I recall watching He enjoyed life like no one I have known. Finding the
David work with the lighting buyer, methodically best in everyone and everything, he showed a love

making his presentation. I noted how e ectively he for life not realized by most. David’s friendship was
interacted, o ering product insights and inspiration something he shared with everyone; he was one of

while incorporating his wit and humor to keep things the kindest people I have ever met. David will surely

interesting. I later watched him talk with others in be missed by all of us. I am thankful he was a part
the operation. He spoke by name to everyone and of my life.”

recalled the names of their spouses, children, and David’s children also shared their memories on
their activities. He introduced himself to me and I social media. “I was lucky enough to have David as

have to say, I felt an immediate friendship, recogniz- my step-dad and he was the best you could ask for.

David Stark had many ing David’s inherent kindness. As I le the showroom The rst time I came out to Arizona with my mom
enduring friendships that day I recalled saying, ‘This is the type of repre- to visit him, he took us to a Shania Twain concert.
within the lighting
sentative I want to be!’
At rst I thought he was trying to win over a teen-
industry over the years. “Later in my career, I found myself on the other age girl by taking her to the concert, but li le did I
Never one to let the
opportunity to be in a side of the table with David as one of his customers. know the concert was more for him. He knew every

photo pass him by, he To say David was thorough would be an understate- song, every lyric, and was a huge fan. He won me
posed with Rick Spicer ment. From the handwri en follow-up le er or card over instantly. David was de nitely one of a kind and
of Paci c Coast Lighting
and fellow lighting rep sent a er each meeting, to the birthday and Christ- a great man,” says Josie Chase of Carmel, Indiana.
mas cards, you could tell that David was genuine. My
His son Ma Stark wrote, “My mother and father
Jon McVay of California.
divorced before I was o formula, so many of the

memories of my father were arti cial ones, culti-
vated through photos of him that were taken in the

years prior to my birth that had been stashed away
in a drawer. Over the years, those photos became

faded and frayed as I combed through the stack,

cultivating his personality and lifestyle using an
imagination that only an only child can possess. I

thumbed past a photo of my father dressed in noth-
ing more than a striped tube sock. He was carrying

a tennis racket and was marching, one knee high in

the air. Behind him were four others. One was wear-
ing nothing but a case of beer around his waist. My

father though, was the leader. He was the alpha dog;
the instigator. He was..my hero.”

68 enLIGHTenment Magazine | SepteMber 2016
www.enlightenmentmag.com