Mrs. Candace Sue Stark's Obituary
Candace “Candy” Sue Ratcliff Stark, 73, passed away peacefully after a battle with cancer on January 27, 2024, in Lancaster, Texas, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born November 15, 1950, to Prentis and Virginia Ratcliff in Dallas, Texas. The Ratcliff family moved to Lancaster, Texas, in 1954, and Candy spent the remainder of her life in Lancaster except for her time at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, where she became known as one of the “Horn Hall Girls”. She graduated from Texas Tech where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work. While working as a social worker in Dallas, Texas, she met the love of her life, and on June 11, 1977, she married Willard Stark in Lancaster, Texas. Candy later earned her master’s degree from UTA in Social Work.
If you knew Candy, then you knew her passion and mission in life was spending time with children using her gifts and talents in working with and serving them in various ways. As a mother, Candy felt blessed and grateful for the opportunity to be called “Mom”. She never missed an opportunity to tell anyone how special Julia and Joel were to her, and how proud she was of both. Candy’s professional life was spent serving the abused and neglected children during her more than thirty years as a social worker, supervisor and Program Director with Child Protective Services. Her determination to help those who could not help themselves paved the way for so many children to live safe and happy lives. However, her devotion to children extended far beyond Dallas and Ellis County. As an active member of First Baptist Church of Lancaster, Candy led mission trips for over ten years to Latvia where she directed VBS for the children there. The countless Latvian children whose lives were touched by Candy learned about God’s love for each of them not only through the activities they enjoyed, but through Candy’s sweet spirit. In each circumstance - home, work, and missions - Candy in her quiet way was a testimony of Christ’s love to her children, those she helped in her profession, and those living across an ocean.
Candy was always ready to travel, and she did travel. From Rome to Colorado, London to Lubbock, Hawaii to Riga, she used each trip creating memories with her family and friends. If she weren’t traveling, she was going to a sporting event, or if there was one on television, you better believe that she would be watching and cheering her team on with a “Guns Up!” She was a devoted and loving wife, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, mom, aunt, “Candy”, mentor, friend and so much more.
Candy is survived by her loving husband Will Stark; her older brothers, Prentis (Sonny) Ratcliff and wife Carol, and Tim Ratcliff and wife Tonya; her younger sister, Shari Schilder; her daughter, Julia Boston and husband Ben, grandchildren Greg and Tinsley; her son, Joel Stark; and numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews, cousins and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and nephew, Mike Ratcliff.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a] with your God.
Micah 6:8
In lieu of flowers her desire would be a contribution to First Baptist Church Lancaster, general fund.
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