Ardith May Stark, 76, of Platteville, WI passed away on Monday, July 31, 2017 at UW Madison Hospital from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. To honor Ardith's life, funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, August 4, 2017, at First English Lutheran Church, 215 W. Pine St., Platteville, WI. To celebrate her life, friends and family may visit from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday, August 3, 2017, and 10:00 am on Friday prior to the funeral at First English Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery, Platteville. The Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville, is serving the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to the Ardith Stark memorial fund. The family will direct all memorial funds to three local charities: the Platteville Relay for Life, the American Diabetes Association, and the Platteville Children's Choir. Online condolences may be made at www.melbyfh.com.

Ardith was born on January 10, 1941 in Boscobel, WI, the daughter of Alvin and Tressa (Kitelinger) Fivecoat. She graduated from Boscobel High School in 1959. Ardith married John Hirsch on November 8, 1959 at Boscobel UMC Church. Ardith went on to work as a nurse at Boscobel Memorial Hospital from 1959 to 1970. John and Ardith had five children, Mark, Jon, David, Andrew and Sarah. Ardith moved to Platteville, WI in 1972.

On June 21, 1986 Ardith married Mervyn “Jim” Stark. Their love blended two families to become one. Pam, Terry and Denny were added to the family.

Ardith graduated from UW Platteville in 1986 with Magna Cum Laude honors with a Business Administration degree. She worked for many years at the Telegraph Herald in Dubuque, IA before retiring in 2006. Ardith worked from 2005 – 2008 for Teri Fairchild selling Dale Carnegie classes.

Ardith and Jim enjoyed traveling and visiting wonderful places in their RV. They especially loved choosing Yuma, AZ as their winter home. They made lifelong friendships with fellow transplants from different locations in the US and Canada who had also discovered the charms of Yuma. Ardith enjoyed deer hunting and fishing and enjoyed taking anyone along with her and Jim, especially her grandchildren.

A few years after they sold their home in Platteville, they purchased their home in Bagley, WI in 1997. They lived there and made many wonderful friends. In the summer of 2015 they moved back to Platteville to be closer to family.

Ardith was a devoted daughter, a loving and kind wife, a loyal friend, and a proud teaching mother and grandmother. Ardith is survived by three daughters: Sarah (Jay) Brant of Platteville; Pam Stark of Platteville; Terry Benn of Hazel Green, WI; five sons: Mark Hirsch of Platteville; Jon (Margaret Ruf) Hirsch of Hartford, WI; David (Kay) Hirsch, Waukesha, WI; Andrew (Teresa) Hirsch of Platteville; Dennis (Jayne) Stark of Platteville; seventeen grandchildren: Cassandra, Tristan, Anna, Emily, Christina, Steven, Brittany and Alexandra Hirsch, Brandon and Cameron Brant, Jaxin Mackienruf and Sydney Ruf-Wong, Travis Benn, Christine Feehan, Korrin, Amie and Mike Stark; three great-grandchildren: Zoey Benn, and Adalyn and Evelyn Meyers; many nieces and nephews, and many dear friends including her adopted “Bros” Willie Allen and Curt Myrick; her “Bridge” sisters, and especially her forever friend, Laurene Leuth.

Ardith was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Mervyn “Jim” Stark.

Ardith Stark

January 10, 1941 - July 31, 2017

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