Anita R Stark

Anita Joanne Rensch Stark, 84, of Las Vegas, went to be with her Lord on Wednesday morning, December 20, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Born June 19, 1933, in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Luman Sr. and Ruth Welker Rensch. She was a 1951 graduate of Chambersburg High School, and while in high school, she won a singing contest, which entitled her to have her own radio show on WCHA. She also performed in numerous plays and operettas, and was the female vocalist with the school’s Swing Orchestra, the Rhythm Kids.

Upon graduation she set out for New York City to get into show business. But in the meantime she got a job working in the Empire State Building for E.I. Du Pont Co. There she met Richard J. O’ Keefe and they were married in 1952.

While raising their 2 children she also held an important secretarial position on Park Avenue. She also became a Girl Scout leader in the St. Philip Neri Parish in the Bronx. She was a dynamic troop leader, and soon had the largest troop in all of New York City, with a long waiting list. While a member of the parish, she produced a variety/talent show performed by many parish members, at St. Philip Neri School.

In 1963, she and Richard separated, and she and the children went back to Chambersburg where she worked at Letterkenny Army Depot. In 1964, she started a new chapter of her life in Las Vegas, NV, with her children joining her soon afterwards. She later had another brief marriage. During the 1960’s, she worked at the Nevada Test Site, in between high-level secretarial jobs at the Tally Ho and Landmark Hotels. She later worked as a showroom waitress for 5 years at the Stardust Hotel.

In 1969, she met and married Donnel C. Stark. After he retired from the U.S. Navy, she and Don both became Real Estate brokers. Also during the late 60’s, she joined First Congregational Church, where she eventually became a choir director. In 1980, she once again found herself single, and soon left the Real Estate profession. She then worked for the Clark County Housing Authority, and later sold jewelry at Tower of Jewels stores in several locations on the Las Vegas Strip, until she retired at 62.

She still kept busy, singing with Sweet Adelines, and later starting several barbershop quartets of her own, the last quartet having included her daughter. She also volunteered to work with Las Vegas Community Concerts, where she helped book most of the musicians, acrobats, and other performers.

She is survived by her first husband, Richard O’Keefe, of Falmouth, Maine, her brother Luman Jr. (Beverly) Rensch of Chambersburg, a daughter Theresa (Kenneth) Bailey of Las Vegas, a son, Stephen O’Keefe, of Las Vegas, and numerous nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved with all her heart.

She was preceded in death by two brothers: David Rensch of Chambersburg, and H. Ronald Rensch of Albuquerque, N.M. She was cremated at Bunker Brothers Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North, Las Vegas, NV 89101, and there will be no interment. A memorial service will be held on January 13, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. at Shadow Hills Church, 7811 Vegas Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89128. Obituaries are being published in the Public Opinion Newspaper of Chambersburg, and also online at www.bunkersmortuary.com.