Minnesota Golfer - Directory 2023 - 46

MGA NEWS
IN MEMORIAM
Theodore E.
" Ted " Stark,
1930-2023
T
heodore E. " Ted " Stark, Jr., of Edina,
Minn., passed away Jan. 4 in Phoenix,
Ariz. Stark, 92, was a highly skilled golfer
and a longtime member of the Minnesota
Golf Association's Board of Directors. He
served as the MGA's Tournament and
Rules Committee chair in the early 1970s,
and was elected president, serving a twoyear
term in 1983 and 1984. As president,
Stark took a stand against handicap
manipulation, and extolled the value
of an MGA Associate Membership. He
described membership as far more important
than a nominal handicap charge, but
as a vital revenue stream which collectively
did " a mighty amount for the game
of golf in Minnesota. "
During Stark's tenure, the association
visited and rated more than 280-member
golf courses to lay the groundwork for
the new USGA Slope Handicap System,
which was rolled out nationwide in 1984.
The slope system provided the bogey
golfer a more realistic playing handicap.
An accomplished player, Stark very
nearly disrupted one of the most iconic
endeavors in Minnesota golf history. In
1962 at Hillcrest Country Club, Stark
went 38 holes in the quarterfinals of the
State Amateur Championship against
Gene Hansen, the defending amateur
champion. Hansen would win the match
on the second extra hole and eventually
win the amateur championship, and the
State Open and the State Public Links-
Minnesota golf's
triple crown-for
the
second consecutive year.
Three years later, Stark would advance
to semifinals of the State Amateur at
Hazeltine National Golf Club, before losing,
4 and 2, to the eventual winner Jim
Archer. After the amateur championship
switched formats, from match play to 72
holes of stroke play, Stark would finish
in the top 10 twice, with a 6th place and
10th place, respectively, at the 1968 and
1971 amateurs, the latter at his home club
Edina Country Club (ECC), where he was
a life-long member.
Stark served as ECC club president in
1979 and would amass five club championships
over a span of four decades. Last
year, ECC renamed the men's club championship
in his honor. He is survived by
his wife, Pat, and three children, Ted III,
Karen and Peter.
Gary D.
Stimmler,
1936-2023
states shy of playing in all 50 United States.
Following his graduation from DeLaSalle,
G
ary D. Stimmler, 86, of Fridley, Minn.,
passed away Jan. 13. Born on Jan. 22,
1936, a day that holds the Minnesota record
for windchill at
-67 degrees, he would
attend St. Bridget Catholic School and
later DeLaSalle High School, graduating
in 1953. Stimmler's passion for golf started
with his first job caddieing at Golden Valley
Country Club and continued by serving
the Minnesota Golf Association as a course
rater from 1996-2015. He was responsible
for planning and coordinating the rating
team's course visits across the state each
year and rated several hundred courses
during his tenure. Stimmler also served
as the Minnesota Public Golf Association
(MPGA) President in 1996 and 1997 and
he enlisted in the Army in 1954 and served
as a radio operator until 1956, including a
posting to Japan. After his service, Stimmler
worked for Prudential Insurance Co., where
he met his future wife, Barbara Holmes. He
later worked for Honeywell and as a computer
analyst utilizing an early version of the
Cray computer.
Once retired, he spent his winters in
Florida and then Arizona which allowed
him to enjoy the outdoors
furthered the
relationship between the
MGA and MPGA by creating a MPGA liaison
position within the MGA and served
in that role from 1998-2004. Some of his
favorite golf memories were volunteering
for PGA Tour tournaments that were conducted
in the Twin Cities.
An avid golfer, Stimmler was just a few
46
MINNESOTAGOLFER Directory 2023
and golf.
Stimmler was an avid reader and enjoyed
classical music, puzzles, travel, playing
cards, horse racing, hiking, skating, and
coaching hockey. Growing up, he loved to
hunt and fish with his family and especially
loved nature and visits to National Parks
and Civil War battlefields. He is survived
by five children Cynthia, Sheryl, Patti,
Steven and David and 10 grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Directory 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Directory 2023
