STARK, Helen Elizabeth

Published in Today's News-Herald on Feb. 23, 2020 - Lake Havasu City, Arizona - In 1975, Helen Stark sold her house in New York and moved with her three children to Lake Havasu City for what she hoped would be a fresh start in a healthier climate. For the next forty-two years, Helen lived and worked in the community she came to love and considered her home. Born Helen Elizabeth Jones in the Bronx borough of NYC to parents Jay and Edith Jones, Helen quickly developed a desire for the finer things in life earning her the nickname Queenie from her father. Always dressed to the nines, Helen grew into a beautiful young woman of equal intelligence earning a master's degree in Education from Hunter College. An accomplished ballroom dancer, Helen loved to entertain and socialize. She was a dedicated member of her church, the Order of the Eastern Star and Alpha Delta Kappa Teachers Sorority. Helen's marriage in 1957 to Robert N. Stark gifted her with three children. Two years after her marriage ended in divorce, Helen made the bold decision to make a fresh start in Lake Havasu City. As the city grew, so did Helen's involvement in the community. She owned and operated the LHC Western Welcome service, was a long-standing member of Saint Michael's Methodist Church, was instrumental in forming The New York Club and sat on the Board of Directors of Community Concerts. Always on the move, Helen's love of travel and adventure later in life took her around the globe including nearly all of Western Europe, Eastern Asia and Australia - Singapore and Australia topping her list of favorites. In 2014 Helen reluctantly left LHC and moved to an independent living complex in Florida where she would be close to her sons. A continuing decline in health made it necessary for Helen to move into memory care and finally a skilled nursing facility. She passed peacefully on February 9, 2020. She was 87 years old. Helen is survived by her daughter, Jeannine, sons, Robert and Jeffrey and her grandson, Kyle.