San Andreas, CA…John Michael Stark passed away Sunday, January 17 at St Joseph’s Hospital in Stockton, from complications of emphysema, with his family at his bedside. He was 72. John was born on October 18, 1943 in San Francisco. He spent his elementary school years in San Francisco and moved to Cupertino for his high school years. While at Cupertino High School he met Sophia (Sue) Paizis. They were married soon after high school in 1965.

John was in the K9 Unit of the Air Police in the US Air Force. His last year of service was spent in Vietnam. On his return to civilian life he and Sue began their family and he enrolled at San Jose State University. John graduated from college with a teaching credential. Before he could get a teaching job John was offered a position at the Humboldt County Sheriffs Department as a Correctional Officer. ln the year he was at Humboldt County he put himself through the Police Academy during the day and worked at the jail at night for several months.

ln 1977, upon graduation from the academy, he took a job at the Calaveras County Sheriffs Department as a Patrol Deputy. He soon had a K9 partner named Fred. “Stark and Bark” were well known in the county. ln 1983 John left the Sheriff’s Department to work for the California Department of Fish and Game as a warden. He retired from Fish and Game in 2003. From 1991 until his wife retired in 2A10, during his days off from the State, John would work extra hire for the Calaveras County Sheriffs Department.

John loved the outdoors and spent much of his time traveling to different parts of the world. He was an active member of the Calaveras Caravaners and enjoyed traveling with Sue and his dog to their outings. He was a charter member of the Vietnam Dog Handlers Association and attended most of the yearly reunions at March Air Field in Riverside, CA.

John liked to work with his hands on metal and wood, and enjoyed photography.
He took many honors for his pictures.

John is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sue, and his two sons Michael Stark of
San Andreas and Gregory and Jana Stark of Valley Springs, his grandchildren
Callie and Evan Stark, and his sisters Linda Stark and Scarlett Johnson both of
Napa, CA.

Their will be a public viewing Monday, January 25, from 5 PM to 7 PM at the San
Andreas Memorial Chapel, 254W. St. Charles St., San Andreas, CA. The
funeral will be Tuesday, January 26, at 11 AM at the St. Basil Greek Orthodox
Church, 920 W. March Lane, Stockton, CA. lnterment will be at Sunset View
Cemetery, 10200 Highway 88, Jackson, CA. Memorial contributions would be
appreciated to the American Lung Association.