02.27.08
Dee Stark’s Unexpected Death Shakes Quilt Community
For those of us who knew Dee Stark and admired her dedication to teaching and writing about Crazy Quilts, news of her unexpected death on February 18, 2008 saddens our hearts. The obituary you can read online is one thing: (http://www.cgazette.com/common/news/deaths/deaths.html). There you will find the names of the survivors and when and where the service for her will be conducted.
In the sisterhood/brotherhood that is the quilting world, we are a dedicated group of people who spend our time studying old quilts, making new quilts, writing, and teaching. We are also there for each other in times of need. I remember very well when Kris and John Driessen were burnt out of their home a few years ago. Dee was right there, as a first responder, making sure every person was alright, and then helping to rescue quilts, soaked by fire hoses.
When she told me that she’d just written, A Spiderweb for Luck: Symbols & Motifs used in Crazy Quilting, I was one of the first to order a copy, and applauded her efforts.
When she was invited to go to France to teach, she spent some time brushing up on her skills in French, only to tell me afterwards that it really didn’t matter as she found other ways to communicate.
Delia (Dee) Elaine Stark, 43 years old, of Clifton Springs, NY: too young to “go.” In her lifetime, she loved music as well as needlework and was “an accomplished pianist” and a singer. Those who knew her personally shall miss her the most. For those who did not have the chance to meet her, we will miss her spirit, her creativity, and her kindness. Another bright candle has gone out, leaving us not to curse the darkness, but to celebrate a life that brought joy to us by her works.
To read more about Dee Stark - in her own words …
Patricia Cummings, http://www.quiltersmuse.com
