Oskar Stark; Attorney

Oskar Stark, a Woodland Hills attorney who specialized in personal injury and civil litigation, has died at a West Hills hospital. He was 56.

Stark died Thursday of cancer, said his wife, Sherry Stark.

Born in Los Angeles, Stark graduated in 1952 from John Burroughs High School in Burbank. Stark earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Cal State Los Angeles and a law degree from San Fernando Valley College of Law. In 1973, he began practicing law in Van Nuys, and later moved his business to Encino. For the past 14 years, Stark has practiced law in Woodland Hills.

During the 1970s, he was chairman of the school board of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran School in Canoga Park, in addition to serving as a church deacon. Stark was president of West Hills Pony League Baseball and a member of the San Fernando Valley Bar Assn., the Los Angeles County Bar Assn. and the Trial Lawyers Assn. He recently converted to Roman Catholicism.

In addition to his wife of 27 years, Stark is survived by his sons, Derek Stark of Woodland Hills and Justin Stark of Berkeley; mother, Leta Bercovitz of Los Angeles; and brothers Ron Bercovitz and Gregg Bercovitz.

A funeral Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. today Saturday at St. Mel’s Catholic Church, 20870 Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth. Donations can be made in Stark’s name to the Pacific Boys Lodge, 4900 Serrania Ave., Woodland Hills 91364, or to the American Cancer Society.