Thomas A. Stark Sr., the son of a deceased veteran, was one of the most ardent supporters of West Point sports, and he was ever so proud of West Point academic standings and achievements. He was born at Ft. Slocum, NY, and, as an "Army Brat," he spent early years there and at Ft. McKinley, Great Diamond Island, Portland ME. After his father's passing in June 1943, Tom's mother moved to Pelham, NY, which became Tom's and his brother, Carl's, homestead for the rest of Mrs. Stark's life. The Pelham residence also became a home-away-from-home for many of Tom’s West Point classmates during visits to the "Big Apple."
Tom graduated from Pelham Memorial High school in 1949. He excelled in academics and athletics. He went on to Purdue University for a one-year preparation in engineering before receiving an appointment to West Point. He joined "The Long Gray Line" on Jul 1, 1950, and became a mainstay in Company L-1 after Beast Barracks. Upon graduation, Tom chose the Artillery and went into the ADFA. Tom resigned his commission in 1957 and went to work with a number of Defense Companies to include Raytheon, Sperry Gyroscope, and AIL (Airborne Instruments Laboratory). He was involved in the engineering of the SR-71 and many NASA Shuttle Programs.
Tom was known for his generosity, quick humor, practicality, and affinity for the boodlers. He was a leader in academics and a fountain of plebe knowledge. Since he saw every Saturday night movie, he knew all the plebe poop on the stars and story lines. You wanted to have Tom at your Mess Hall table because he could provide all the answers to the upperclassmen’s battery of questions.
Tom was an early fan of the Academy's sports programs. He knew all the football players’ statistics (both team and individual) since the 1940s. West Point was in his blood, he knew all the day-to-day academic, athletic, and living requirements including plebe poop. Tom made one of his many astute decisions and arranged to have Walt Martin, an annual Star Man as his roommate. Their room became the center of academic excellence in which all members of L-1 and adjoining companies could visit to get academic tutoring and instruction.
Tom was known through the academy as an extraordinary softball pitcher. Tom had developed a fast pitch that was hard to see for the hitter and equally as hard to catch for the catcher. Regularly striking out his opponents, Tom excelled on the team, and L-1 won the Banker’s trophy for two years in a row. Most other companies accused L-1 of having a professional pitcher, and they wanted him prohibited from playing in the intramural league. Tom was a casual upperclassman; he was not inclined to making life difficult for the underclassmen. He helped them with their academics and was always a source for good advice, positive thinking and constructive criticism. He was a friend first, last and always. After joining the civilian community, Tom continued to have season tickets to Army Football and made the weekly treks to the "Castle on the Hudson" and to entertain with his famous tail gate extravaganzas.
He married Carol Fagan Jul 12, 1970, at the Catholic Chapel at West Point. He became an immediate father to Carol's two sons George and Bryan. Before his marriage and while still living in Pelham, he made a habit of visiting classmates in the Washington, DC, area. He had a big Buick convertible that became the chariot of choice for many of his classmates’ children. They knew him as Uncle Tom and looked forward to his visits and the favors he brought with him—a modern Santa Claus with 400 HP instead of reindeer.
Tom is survived by his wife, Carol, of Ocala, FL, and their sons: George (wife Stephanie) of West Boylston, MA; Bryan (wife Lisa) of Bloomington, IL; Thomas Jr. (T.J.) of Charlotte, NC; Robert (USMA ’97) of Pembroke Pines, FL; and Christopher of Ocala, FL. He is also survived by grandchildren Emily, Bethanie, James, and Tyler.
I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one,
I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I'd like to leave an echo whispering softly down the way of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
I'd like the tears of those who grieve to dry before the sun of happy memories that I leave when my life is done.
Until we meet again, old friend and buddy, Be Thou at Peace. God bless his family and classmates. We lost a true comrade and a great supporter of our Alma Mater when Tom returned to his Maker.
—Jim Obendorfer and son T.J. Stark