Cheryl A. Stark

Cheryl Ann (Berry) Stark was born in Anthony, Kansas on October 4th, 1949 as the only child of Nicholas and Bertha (Jimenez) Berry.  Cheryl attended Harper Elementary and graduated with the class of 1967 from Harper High School. On January 12, 1974, Cheryl became a mother to Dennis Nicholas Winkelman and on March 19,1975 her daughter Amanda Dawn Winkelman was born. On October 20, 1985 she married Stanley Eugene Stark and to that marriage they added a son, Christopher Stanley.  After the passing of Dennis in 2016, Cheryl and Stan adopted his daughter Harley.  Cheryl loved all her grandkids, Easton, Jessalyn, Nicholas, Cheyenne, Drake, her great granddaughter Azaylea, and all those she lovingly claimed across Harper County.  

Throughout her life, Cheryl loved to cook and chat.  Whether it was managing hotels, working in the St. Francis Emergency Room, serving patrons of the Copper Club, Fence Post, the Sale Barn, or Shepherd's (among many others) she loved engaging with everyone in both their good times and bad.  Cheryl always made it a point to know everything that was going on in Harper County and beyond, or as Stan would say, "the history of fastest communications was the telegram, then the telephone, then tell-a-Cheryl."  Many in the community would ask her when she was going to stop working, but the truth was that work and helping others was where she always found her biggest purpose in life. The first question she asked the doctors after surgery was when she would be able to go back to work.    

Whether it was her kids, grandkids, or just those she knew, Cheryl was always there to support everything in the community from Chaparral Singers to sports to community theater, she just loved seeing the local talent flourish.  

Cheryl was deeply devoted to her Catholic faith after being baptized and receiving all sacraments in the Harper County parishes.  She would wear out her rosary beads for friends and was so immensely thankful when everyone in the community returned the favor by praying for her throughout these recent health battles.  

Late in the evening of December 14th, 2025 Cheryl returned to the Lord and to rejoin all those loved ones who she always believed she would get to see again.  She is preceded in death by her husband Stan in 2018, her son Dennis in 2016, her mother and father and so many dear friends and family.  

In addition to all those who knew and loved her, Cheryl is survived by her daughter Amanda of Garden Plain, son Christopher (Tony) of Boston, and Harley (Carson) of Wellington, grandchildren Easton Baker (Andrea) of Leavenworth, Jessalyn Smith and Nicholas Smith of Pratt, and Drake Winkelman and Cheyenne Winkelman of Wichita, and great-granddaughter Azaylea of Wichita.

A special thank you from the family goes out to Shirley Moore, Dedra Rathgeber, and their whole family who took such good care of Cheryl.  To Hayden, Anden, Kolsen, and Rylan she loved you boys to the moon and back and found tremendous joy in making sure she snuck you all the treats that your mom wouldn't let you have! 

Recitation of Rosary was held 12:30 p.m. with Mass of Christian Burial following at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 20, 2025 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Anthony, of the St. Joan of Arc Parish with Father Bhaskar Mendam and Father Babu Pinninti serving as Celebrants.  

Memorials may be made payable to either Jana’s Campaign or the Sacred Heart Altar Guild, and can be sent in care of Prairie Rose Funeral Home, 602 E. Main St., Anthony, KS 67003.