Mary M. Starts, 88
At the age of 88, Mary Maxine (Heileman) Starts, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and matriarch of the Starts family, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on July 31, 2021. Mary was born in Waynesfield, Ohio, the eldest daughter of Gail and Margaret Heileman. She grew up on a farm and, from the start, Mary built an “I can do, therefore I do” attitude. She and her twin sisters worked in the fields all day with their father and inside the home in the evening alongside their mother. Mary graduated from high school early and enrolled in Ohio Northern University where she majored in education in addition to playing on the basketball team while working and paying her own way through college. Prior to her graduation from college, and due to the teacher shortage at the time, she started teaching kindergarten at the tender age of 19 at Westside Elementary School in St. Marys. She would later go on to complete her college degree from Ohio Northern while handling a family and four small children. She received her bachelor of arts degree in education and worked for the St. Marys City schools system for 25 years until her retirement in 1989.
It was in St. Marys that Mary met her future husband Arthur (Art) Starts. They each rented rooms at the same boarding house and started going to church choir practice together at the St. Marys United Methodist Church where they would eventually marry on Aug. 5, 1956. Together they built their first brick home that Art designed in the woods of rural St. Marys and reared four children there; three sons and a daughter. Mary raised a garden every year to provide the best food possible for her family and always managed to make camping trips and opportunities to serve others a priority. Mary taught Sunday School for years as well as being involved in the Mother’s Study Group, Altar Guild and numerous other civic organizations. Once her children became teenagers, in addition to working full time as a teacher, she and Art bought a pizza carry-out shop where all her children would work and her employees would become her second family.
Upon retirement, Mary and Art adventured to Aloha, Oregon to be near their children whom had relocated to the west coast. They built their second home and began a new season in their life together. They were active in the Prime Timers at Beaverton Four Square church and also sang with the Joyful Singers at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Once Art’s health started to waiver in the sunset years of his life, Mary did not faint but cared for him with great love and devotion. She rose up and brought church into their home by running numerous home bible studies for young mothers and couples. Mary was a true believer who met every challenge with commitment, resolve and fortitude.
Mary genuinely loved people and deeply cared for everyone she encountered. She loved her family and adored her grandchildren. She was the definition of a virtuous woman as described in Proverbs 31 and had a beautiful servant’s heart until her last breath. Mary will be dearly missed by all and forever remembered as an incredible woman of God.
At the end of our life the greatest gift we can give back to our heavenly Father is the love we’ve given to others while here on earth. It is in this truth that we find comfort knowing Mary will receive rewards throughout all eternity for her love and service to others.
Mary is survived by her sons Greg (Kay) Starts, Brent (Jenny) Starts, Stephen Starts, and Lorraine (Douglas) Fowler and sister Nevelyn (Rex) Line. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, two nieces and three nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Nov. 14, at First Church of New Knoxville. A visitation and reception will follow in the ministry center.