Shirley Stark was a prominent longtime resident of Coronado, known for her civic leadership and for helping found the League of Wives. She passed away in late 2025. During the Vietnam War, Shirley played a pivotal role in the Coronado League of Wives, a group of military spouses who advocated for humane treatment and the return of American prisoners of war (POWs). Her husband, Captain William “Bill” Stark, was a Naval aviator and Vietnam POW.

Shirley served the Coronado community in many capacities, including as a longtime member of the Coronado Historical Association (CHA). Together with her husband, she also created the Susan Stark Memorial Scholarship through the Friends of the Coronado Public Library in honor of their late daughter, Susan. The scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who demonstrate exceptional character and a commitment to community service.

Now, just months after her passing, Shirley and Bill Stark’s service to Coronado will continue through a planned gift supporting three cornerstone community institutions: the Coronado Historical Association, the Coronado Public Library, and Sharp Coronado Hospital.

According to Coronado Historical Association Executive Director Christine Stokes, the Starks established a trust that divides their planned gift equally among the three organizations. She said the gift reflects the couple’s foresight and commitment to giving back, and underscores the vital role each institution plays in Coronado’s long-term well-being.

“The Coronado Historical Association is here to preserve our past, and what the community of Coronado has always been, the library continues to educate people and bring lifelong learning, and then, of course, the hospital cares for the community,” Stokes said. “So, by choosing these three organizations to get the equal amounts, it really shows the foresight in what is most important to long-term Coronado.”

Stokes described the donation as both an affirmation of CHA’s work and an investment in its future. This gift not only strengthens CHA’s financial base but also confirms the importance of its mission in preserving local history.

“With this, especially because it was an equal [gift] to the library and the hospital to us, it was very much something that we were very grateful for, but also really affirms our mission,” she said. “This very generous gift is a strong base for the long-term stability of our organization.”

CHA relies on community support—through memberships and programs such as its historical home tour—to sustain year-round programming and keep the museum open. But Stokes emphasized that organizations like CHA face needs that go beyond annual operating costs. As steward of a historic building and a unique collection of local materials, CHA must continually invest in preservation, staffing, and professional expertise.

Stokes stressed the importance of history museums as trusted places for learning and research. Fulfilling that role requires investing in staff and volunteers, training, and the specialized care of collections so they endure for future generations.

Because CHA holds many one-of-a-kind Coronado documents and artifacts that are unlikely to appear in textbooks or exist elsewhere, the responsibility is especially significant. Proper preservation demands careful environmental controls—such as maintaining appropriate humidity and temperature—to slow the natural deterioration of paper-based materials. These systems represent a substantial expense, particularly for a small institution that safeguards singular items.

She added that museums must remain welcoming and accessible to the public while adapting to evolving technology and expectations. The Starks’ gift, she said, will help CHA both care for Coronado’s history and present it in engaging ways for generations to come.

“This type of gift is something that just continues to help us build that long-term stability. And that’s what’s most important, because we want to be here forever and be able to be the organization that people can trust,” she said. “I think that a gift like this is transformational in the way that we’re also able to be nimble to the needs of the community.”

Out of respect for the Starks’ privacy, the amount of the gift will not be disclosed. Stokes noted that while Shirley and Bill were deeply engaged in the community, they were also very private people, and honoring that privacy is an important part of preserving their legacy.

CHA will further honor Shirley, along with her fellow League of Wives members, with a plaque and memorial bench in Star Park. The unveiling will take place on Tuesday, March 24, at 4 p.m., and the public is welcome to attend.

VOL. 116, NO. 10 – Mar. 11, 2026