Anna Lucille Starkey

Anna Lucille Starkey, 87, of Topeka, went to be with the Lord on December 21, 2012 at Aldersgate Village in Topeka.

Ann was born on July 22, 1925 to Mabel and Guy (Shorty) Adams. She was raised on a farm on the Pottawatomie Indian Reservation near Mayetta, Kansas and was buried in baptism the year she graduated from 8th grade. She was a member of the California Acres church of Christ.

Ann graduated from the 8th grade after attending school at the Brewer Schoolhouse, and helped the teacher for a year after her graduation. She really wanted to finish school and become a teacher, but it was during the depression and circumstances did not allow that to happen. Instead, she took care of various sick women, worked at a Sherwin Williams Paint Store for a few months, and worked the switchboard in Hoyt before being hired by Cappers Newspaper. Working at Cappers was her favorite paying job. Ann worked there a year before getting married. After her marriage she was a full-time homemaker.

Ira Ellis Starkey and Anna Lucille Adams were married on February 18, 1945. Ellis and Ann first lived on the Taylor Farm near Billard Airport during WWII, and later moved into Topeka. Together they had five children: Randy E. Starkey (Gayla), Beverly A. Meeks (Fred), Peggy Jo Kuhn (Charles), Brenda L. Hainey (Gordon), and Donna K. Needham (Duane). Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Ira Ellis Starkey, parents Mabel and Guy Adams, a sister, Mary Adams, and two brothers, William (Bud) and Harold (Pal) Adams. She is survived by all of her children, 12 grandchildren, Laura Heflin, Randall Starkey, Shane Starkey, Stacy Meeks, Angie Bass, Christina Stadler, Thomas Kuhn, Emily Brooks, Andrea Garbi, Melissa McClung, Alex Needham and Samuel Needham, 21great-grandchildren, Levi Starkey, Jesse Heflin, Anthony Heflin, Gage Starkey, Chase Thompson, Bree Thompson, Mickayla Starkey, Christee Wingert, Jennifer Wingert, Madeline Zimmer, Tony Zimmer, Ayden Bass, Holden Bass, Quinton Stadler, Tessa Stadler, Aria Stadler, Mason Brooks, Garrett Brooks, Baby Brooks, Nora Garbi and Ivan Garbi and a great-great-granddaughter, McKenzie Beyer.

Ann loved children and spent her life reading Bible stories to her own children, teaching Sunday school, Bible school, and attending and leading a women's Bible study class. Ellis and Ann picked up a lot of children and women to take them to church services through the years. She also enjoyed embroidery and made many pillowcases, dish towels, and dresser scarves in her spare time before arthritis made that impossible. Ann loved flowers and would spend hours in a day tending them by weeding and trimming. She also loved watching birds, especially redbirds.

The family would like to thank the Elmhurst staff at Aldersgate Village for the excellent care given to Anna during her stay at the facility.

A funeral ceremony will be 11 a.m., Monday, December 24, 2012 at the Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence Ave, Topeka, KS 66608. Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery, Topeka. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until the service. Ann will lie in state today from 3-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to California Acres Church of Christ.

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