Mary Louise Starke

My mom, who was certainly part of “the Greatest Generation,” was born, Mary Louise Pace in Roanoke, Virginia on February 18, 1922. Her parents were Mr. Loyd Bransford Pace and Mrs. Ruthe Florence Hawkins Pace.

Her younger brother was Sydney Bransford Pace, whom she adored. He gave his life, at age 21, on the island of Iwo Jima as a United States Marine.

Marylou moved to Huntington, West Virginia at age 10 and went on to graduate from Huntington High School. She then continued her education at Marshall College and went for her second year to Sullins College where she was very happy and proud to be an alumna.

In June of 1942, she married Paul Crosier, whom she loved. Paul was a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy, serving in the Pacific Theater in World War II. When Paul returned from the war, he and Marylou moved to Dallas, Texas, and in August of 1949, they welcomed their daughter, Cynthia, whom they adored.

Paul was killed in 1953 in a tragic car accident in Dallas. After Paul’s death, my mom devoted herself to my sister’s well being in every way. Later, Marylou married Henry C. Starke and moved to Oklahoma City. In August of 1962, they welcomed me, Craig Pace Starke.

In the years to come, my mom was a perpetual homeroom mother, den mother, and beloved neighbor to the many children in Crown Heights who would often line up on summer mornings at our front porch for pound cake, Tang, and a little of the loving attention that I was fortunate to live with everyday.

She found tremendous satisfaction in a job that she began at age 62, as the receptionist at the Oklahoma County Courthouse. It would become a job, which she would keep for 28 years. She had just retired at the end of June at age 91 from the courthouse with great deliberation. She often said that her dream was to meet and help people from every walk of life, and she did so with grace and kindness. She also, regularly expressed gratitude for the loyal judges whom she served in her job.

The thought of my mom brings both warmth and smiles, as well as a strong desire to be the best possible human being that I can be – to be the best father to my son, husband to my wife, and friend to my fellowman whom I encounter throughout my life. This seems like the very least I can do to say “Thank you” to my mom for her loving example.

Whenever trouble came, my mom’s advice was always to count my many blessings, and I am doing so right now.

Marylou is survived by my sister, Cynthia Sexton and her husband Dennis, of Germantown, Tennessee; me, Craig Pace Starke and my wife, Robin Orbach Starke, and our son, Wyatt August Hawkins Starke, who has been the light of her life for the past eight years.

Marylou’s greatest love in life, was children, and after the passing of her lifetime, best friend, Mary Healy, of Dallas, Texas, she devoted herself to caring for her seven children and many grandchildren.

Since I was a young child, there has been a little piece of paper adhered to my mom’s bathroom mirror, which is a poem by John Hall, “At Day’s End; “ it explains how she lived her life. I’d like to share it with you.

“ Is anybody happier because you passed his way?

Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today?

The day is almost over, and its toiling time is through;

Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?

Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that’s slipping fast,

That you helped a single brother of the many that you passed?

Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said;

Does the man whose hopes were fading, now with courage look ahead?

Did you waste the day, or lose it?

Was it well or sorely spent?

Did you leave a trail of kindness or a scar of discontent?

As you close your eyes in slumber, do you think that God will say,

‘You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today’?”

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hospice of Oklahoma County.