Dr. Ernest Starks

DR. ERNEST KENT STARKS WAS BORN ON JANUARY 1, 1959 IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA TO ERNEST AND MARY STARKS. HE DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON NOVEMBER 4, 2016.DR. STARKS ACCEPTED CHRIST AT AN EARLY AGE AND ATTENDED THE ALDERSGATE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WHERE THE REV. MARIO PARGA IS THE PASTOR. HE USED HIS MUSICAL SKILLS THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY.DR. STARKS HAD A VERY OPINIONATED AND BENEVOLENT SPIRIT. THERE WAS NEVER A STRANGER HE MET AND FREELY GAVE OF HIS TIME AND SOMETIMES HIS MONEY. HE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE BASKET BALL COMMUNITY, SERVING AS A COACH TO MANY LEAGUES AND TEAMS. HE WAS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS “COACH”. AFTER OBTAINING HIS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA IN FORT WAYNE INDIANA, HE ATTENDED NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY WHERE HE OBTAINED A B.A. IN SOCIOLOGY. HE ALSO PLEDGED ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY. HE CONTINUED HIS EDUCATION BY OBTAINING A MASTER’S DEGREE IN U.S. HISTORY FROM TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. FURTHERING HIS EDUCATION, HE ACQUIRED A PHD IN U.S. HISTORY AND LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. HE HELD A JOINT APPOINTMENT AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY COLLEGE STATION AND TEXAS A&M QATAR. DR. STARKS WAS A TENURED PROFESSOR IN THE LIBERAL ARTS/HISTORY DEPARTMENT. HE HAS WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED TWO BOOKS: BLACK UNIONISM IN THE INDUSTRIAL SOUTH AND FREEBOOTERS AND SMUGGLERS.  HE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS. HE HAD A LONG AND ELOUSTRIOUS CAREER WITH TEXAS A&M AND HIS PRESENCE WILL BE MISSED.DR. ERNEST STARKS LEAVES TO MOURN AERIAL AND RICO STARKS (CHILDREN), ERNEST AND MARY STARKS (PARENTS) FOUR SIBLINGS AND A HOST OF RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.