Betty Luckock Starr

Betty June (Luckock) Starr, 89, loved the Lord Jesus. She was a believer from a very young age and was known for her rock-solid faith, loving character, her pretty white hair, but most of all, her smile. She touched many people with her loving presence. She was thought of by many as a one of the “giants” when referring to her faith. She rejoiced in leading others to the Lord. She was the daughter of William Lockock and Mary (Molleston) Luckock. She is survived by one sister, Ruth McWilliams (Dwayne). She was proceeded in death by her brother Glenn Luckock, and sisters Janet Chaney and Shirley Luckock. Betty was especially close with her sister Ruth, for whom she had great love. The two of them shared everything as teenagers, including the best skirt they owned. Together they watched all the high school boys go off to war. They later raised their families together and shared all the highs and lows of life. Betty was a resident of Jacksonville, FL. for the last 20 years and was formerly also of Sandusky, OH, Panama City, FL., Monroeville, PA., where she raised her family with her husband, Wesley Robert Starr. Her early marriage years were in Turtle Creek, PA. and she was born and raised in Verona, PA. She was married to Wesley R. Starr her childhood playmate and later, sweetheart. They live one house apart growing up, and she remembers saying, as she looked out her bedroom window at young Wes, “I’m going to marry him.” Together they raised five children: Robert Wesley Starr (Carol), Laurel Starr Wiley (John), Luanne Starr Rhoades (Rex), Douglas Brian Starr (Amy), and Glenn Stephen Starr (Jana). Sadly, she was widowed in 1975, when Wes died at age 47. Like other women widowed too young, this was a time of great challenge and self discovery. She worked diligently to find her way. She spent time with each of her children and their growing families, and took the role of grandma and personal confidant to the next generation, very seriously. She was part of many communities of believers in all the places she lived. They include First United Presbyterian Church, Turtle Creek, PA; Good Shepard Lutheran Church Monroeville, PA; St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Monroeville, PA; St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Panama City, FL.; Christ Episcopal Church, Huron, OH; and All Soul’s Episcopal Church, in Jacksonville. In her late years, Betty grew to love Fruit Cove Baptist Church in Jacksonville. There she found many like minds and hearts in her Sunday school class, especially Loretta, Jan, Wynne, Pauline, Ruth, Pat, Dale and many others. At different times of her life she enjoyed work and volunteer jobs. As a young woman, she worked as a medical secretary in Pittsburgh, PA, where she took the streetcar to work. She loved reading and books, so she especially enjoyed jobs involving them: the book dept. at Kaufmann’s Department Store in Monoreville, and the Berean Bookstore in Jacksonville. After volunteering at Bayview Hospital in Panama City, they found a way to employ her when she needed work, just to keep her. She also worked in Sandusky, OH. at the Hallmark Gifts Store and Beradis Restaurant. One of her favorite jobs was as a docent at the Jacksonville Maritime Museum. Betty was a volunteer prayer minister at Channel 40, a Christian Broadcasting Station, in Pittsburgh, and also was a prayer minister at Christian Healing Ministries in Jacksonville, FL. For fun, Betty loved to swim and travel, and was alway ready for an adventure. She was known to her kids, for picking a side road on a family car trip, just to see where it would lead. She loved reading and music. While living in Panama City, Florida, she was part of a senior line dancing troupe, which she thoroughly enjoyed! She is survived by 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grand children, 1 great-great grandchild and 2 step-grandchildren, for whom she has prayed for daily. Grandchildren: Sarah Wiley Hoiberg (Christopher), Andrew Wiley (Bonnie); Nathanael Wiley (Courtney), Aaron Starr (Emily), Kathryn Starr Freeman (Nate), Caleb Starr (Ashlee), Ryan Rhoades (Sara), Cory Rhoades (Lisa), Joseph Starr, Rachel Starr, Jenna Starr. Her great-grandchildren are: Laura Hoiberg, Caitlyn Hoiberg, Mikayla Wiley, Ava Starr, Jay Starr, Lee Starr, Aiden Starr, Teagan Mae Brooks. Her step-grandchildren are: Trey Freeman, Kiptyn Haines. Betty had a very special, loving relationship with Donna DiMelfi.