Was born on the 19 January 1923 at Masterton, Wellington, New Zealand
In his youth, he attended Te Ore Ore primary school and then the Wairarapa High School, The Masterton Technical School and then following their amalgamation, Wairarapa College taking general engineering courses.
He joined the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Dept, as it was then known, as a Technician in 1939 and in 1940 transferred to the newly formed Radio Section which was becoming very involved in radio and electronics for war communications and defence. This resulted in spending a lot of time in and around the South West Pacific area. He was based at Musick Point Radio station (Bucklands Beach, Auckland) in 1944.
Ray joined the war effort Regt. No. 441737 2NZEF. He was a Private in the 2nd New Zealand Divisional Signals Corps.
Following the war, Raymond moved to Christchurch in 1956 to assume charge for the Telegraph Department, of the Southern Region – all the South Island except Nelson and Marlborough Provinces. Raymond built a career in electrical and radio communications, formally gaining registration as an electrical serviceman in 1961 and as a Post Office radio technician in 1962.
Raymond was also a father to 3 children and his widow, who is 99 at time of writing (2026), still resides in Christchurch.
On the 6 September 2003 at Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, Raymond passed away. His remains were cremated and the ashes buried in the Millennium Section at the Harewood Memorial Gardens in Christchurch.
Ray Stark was one of my family that I would very much like to have met. Sadly, we were a few years apart in making that happen.
