WI WI - Helen Stark, South Milwaukee, 23-26 years old, 12 January 1946

[UncoolNegated]

I feel that there might be a serial killer in Wisconsin as a few other girls besides Helen vanished in Wisconsin in the 1940s and 1950s. Georgia wrecker vanished in 1947, Ricky jean Bryant vanished in 1949, and then Evelyn Hartley vanished in 1953. I don’t feel that Ricky Bryant was kidnapped by a stranger as the police have uncovered evidence that supports that Ricky may be alive. But it is unknown as to what may have happened to Georgia, Evelyn, or Helen.

I looked at the Ricky Jean Bryant case early this year. She likely was just dead in the house fire that took place the last day she disappeared. According to the news reporting at the time, it was assumed she had perished in the fire. There were firefighters that heard a child screaming in the burning down building. Her remains might not have survived the fire because of her size but bone fragments were sent to the FBI for analysis. Article I wrote.

 

[UncoolNegated]

Wow it’s been months since anyone’s replied on helens thread. Anyway I don’t know who could be considered a suspect in the case.

I couldn't find any reporting on this case from the newspaper databases I have memberships for. This one is futile in my opinion. I think even if a clue was found, the police would only be interested if it was a slam-dunk clue. I bet this one will only be solved if a body is found and they got DNA or dentals -- and actual interest in the case.

 

[Mysteries1974]

I couldn't find any reporting on this case from the newspaper databases I have memberships for. This one is futile in my opinion. I think even if a clue was found, the police would only be interested if it was a slam-dunk clue. I bet this one will only be solved if a body is found and they got DNA or dentals -- and actual interest in the case.

Yeah. Helen’s case has almost no details Avalible.

 

[Mysteries1974]

I think Helen was reported missing in 2013

 

[vw51212]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Skull found in Wauwatosa
Unidentified human skull was discovered during the excavation of a foundation of a home in Wauwatosa, WI. The anthropological assessment was completed and determined the postmortem interval to be "many years to potentially decades", the sex is female, has an "admixed" ancestry, age range in estimated to be 30-60 years.
Stingl: Buried skull from Wauwatosa is poked and prodded but holds tight to its secrets
Center of West Milwaukee and Center of Wauwatosa are 4.6 miles from both city centers.

 

[Mysteries1974]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Skull found in Wauwatosa
Unidentified human skull was discovered during the excavation of a foundation of a home in Wauwatosa, WI. The anthropological assessment was completed and determined the postmortem interval to be "many years to potentially decades", the sex is female, has an "admixed" ancestry, age range in estimated to be 30-60 years.
Stingl: Buried skull from Wauwatosa is poked and prodded but holds tight to its secrets
Center of West Milwaukee and Center of Wauwatosa are 4.6 miles from both city centers.

Definitely possible due to the distance, time, and age of the remains, this may very well be our missing

 

[bbbd4u]

It wasn't until having a conversation with someone today who lives in Wisconsin did I realize that someone could go missing and their loved ones don't want any kind of answers. I had a conversation with someone who told me their mother has been missing for 73 years and they wouldn't want to know what happened now because what purpose would it serve. My heart is so sad. I didnt realize anyone would have that mindset. It now makes me wonder how many went missing around the time Helen did who have living family members that would rather not know at this point what happened.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Bumping for Helen - it's now been over 75 years.

 

[TSL7584]

76 years missing

 

[Pennysmom1]

Helen Stark​

Updated: Jan 9, 2022

Helen Stark’s case information is the oldest Wisconsin missing persons case listed on NamUs.org, which is a national centralized repository and resource center for missing persons and unidentified decedent records.

She was last seen on January 12th, 1946. Although no information is given as to why Helen’s exact age is not known, it is believed that she was between 23 and 26 years of age at the time of her disappearance.

At the time of her disappearance, her height was between 69 and 72 inches tall and her weight was between 170 and 180 pounds.

Helen’s case was added to the NamUs.org database in September of 2013.

Helen Stark (maiden name Borkowski) went missing a short time after 1-12-1946.

She had been married to a man named William P. Stark and had two small children.

Facts are sketchy at this time, but apparently, she was having marital difficulties at the time, and never returned to pick up her children from a baby-sitter. The date that she was last seen is sketchy, but at this time it is believed she went missing

sometime after 1-12-1946 in the Bay View to South Milwaukee area of Milwaukee.

No one in the family ever heard from her again. Family reports that she would have never abandoned her children. Her home residence was in South Milwaukee, WI.

Helen Stark

Helen Stark’s case information is the oldest Wisconsin missing persons case listed on NamUs.org, which is a national centralized repository and resource center for missing persons and unidentified decedent records. She was last seen on January 12th, 1946. Although no information is given as to...

www.wimissing.org

 

[WIMurderChronicles]

The other couple in the wedding photo is Helen's sister Phyllis with her husband John.
And I don't know how "lovely" it was. My grandparents had a similar glamorous studio portrait done, and they were working-class immigrants from Finland and Russia, married in a rush after my grandmother got pregnant.

I haven't found a date for the wedding, or what happened to her children and her husband.
He could possibly be this guy:

William P Stark (1917-1999) - Find A Grave...

There was a Stark family with a William son living in the Bay View area, and Helen's family lived in South Milwaukee.

Do we know when Helen was married? At least the year? Phyllis died in 1997. I am trying to get hold of her obituary. Delores died in 2015. Brother Stanley in 2001. So I think that marks all the siblings.? Believe Helen had to have died the day she went missing

 

[WIMurderChronicles]

76 years missing

She is dead. I feel it. I feel she died the day she went “ missing.”

 

[WIMurderChronicles]

Ed Gein was around. His mother died just weeks before Helen disappeared and according to his Wikipedia: "Soon after his mother's death, Gein began to create a "woman suit" so that "...he could become his mother—to literally crawl into her skin"."

But most of my theories about what happened to Helen involve her having met a new man.
She decided to run away with him/ he wasn't happy when she wanted to go back with her just returned husband/ or her husband wasn't happy she'd met someone else.

I wonder what her family's theory was?

The theories that Helen abandoned her children for another man are grasping for straws. Let me explain why. The family states very firmly Helen was a devoted mom to her daughters. Yes, she and Bill were having discord in the marriage. War ( distant) can do that. However, she loved her children and would not have left them never to have contacted them OR anyone in her family again.
She had returned safely other times when she had used the babysitter. Why not this date? How do we know Bill didn’t have a sweetheart waiting for him? How do we know the fights weren’t about Helen finding this out? I think service man Bill killed Helen.

 

[WIMurderChronicles]

I feel that there might be a serial killer in Wisconsin as a few other girls besides Helen vanished in Wisconsin in the 1940s and 1950s. Georgia wrecker vanished in 1947, Ricky jean Bryant vanished in 1949, and then Evelyn Hartley vanished in 1953. I don’t feel that Ricky Bryant was kidnapped by a stranger as the police have uncovered evidence that supports that Ricky may be alive. But it is unknown as to what may have happened to Georgia, Evelyn, or Helen.

Ricky was sold to a wealthy California woman by Ricky’s grandmother . Ricky’s mom halfhearted agreed.

 

[WIMurderChronicles]

I looked at the Ricky Jean Bryant case early this year. She likely was just dead in the house fire that took place the last day she disappeared. According to the news reporting at the time, it was assumed she had perished in the fire. There were firefighters that heard a child screaming in the burning down building. Her remains might not have survived the fire because of her size but bone fragments were sent to the FBI for analysis. Article I wrote.

No. Ricky was alive and outside the house when the fire was deliberately set by the maternal grandmother. Ricky’s brother clearly remembered. He remembered being told- ordered to go get help of a neighbor two doors down by a lady driving a Cadillac. He did as he was ordered. When he left to do that Ricky Jean was at his side. Moments later when he returned Ricky was gone. The lady in the Cadillac had been alone at first. Now she was driving away. Two people were in the car. One smaller. He didn’t want to believe it.

When the fire was put out his grandmother told him “ Ricky Jean” was “ with the angels now,”. However, his grandma and mom were not sad. They “ suddenly had lots of money and bought us toys and ice cream. .”. The house fire was deemed suspicious. Grandma kept changing her story how it started. Mom and grandma couldn’t keep the stories straight. No one was allowed to talk about Ricky Jean.

 

[AliceInPain]

Her NamUs says "Comments: Vehicle information is unknown at this time."

She had two small children, a car would make sense if the babysitter didn't live nearby.
Maybe it's as "simple" as she drove into the water on her way to or from the babysitter...

 

[AliceInPain]

Husband's middle name was Peter. Likely had a daughter called Barbara and possibly re-married a Gladys.
I haven't found when Helen and William got married.

Milwaukee County Case Number 1999PR001327 In the Estate of WILLIAM P. STARK

William Stark • United States 1950 Census (one of Helen's children is missing if this is him so maybe not him)

 

[WIMurderChronicles]

Husband's middle name was Peter. Likely had a daughter called Barbara and possibly re-married a Gladys.
I haven't found when Helen and William got married.

Milwaukee County Case Number 1999PR001327 In the Estate of WILLIAM P. STARK

William Stark • United States 1950 Census (one of Helen's children is missing if this is him so maybe not him)

Thank you for this information. I am trying to find out all I can on this case. However, I have limited resources.

 

[WIMurderChronicles]

Thank you for this information. I am trying to find out all I can on this case. However, I have limited resources.

Thank you for your help. Daughters were Helen, Dorothy and Sophia. Three brothers. Dorothy and the brothers were the children left in care of an orphanage when Valeria , the mother died. Sophia and Helen were in later teen years it is believed.

 

[WIMurderChronicles]

Does the Maid/Matron of Honor know more that she's too honorable to spill?

How about the Best Man?

It’s her sister who is matron of honor. Sophia. She has died. 2013.