Lucinda Sue Starlin

1955 - 2016

Lucinda Sue Starlin came into this world June 12, 1955 in Denver, Colorado and joined her loving parents, Floyd and Mildred Starlin and brother Dwane Starlin at the farm south of Akron. As a young girl she fell in love with farm and ranch life and like her mother, dedicated herself to helping her father raise wheat and cattle.

Lucinda graduated from Akron High School with the class of 1973. She enjoyed playing the saxophone in the marching band and other club activities, Akron Pep Club, and 4-H where she was president of the Lucky Jills 4-H club. A highlight of each summer other than "dragging Main St." was wheat harvest, and the Washington County Fair: the parade, the livestock barn and auction, the exciting carnival rides, the rodeo and playing in the rodeo band, and checking out the ribbons on the 4-H projects.

Lucinda graduated from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling in 1975. She then joined her parents in running Starlin Farms. She lived for many years on the farmstead of her maternal grandparents, Earl and Ila Hannah. When her parents passed away, she continued operating the farm and ranch eventually moving back to her childhood home. She took pride in the farm and truly loved the land, her faithful dog Abby, and her cattle which she always referred to as "her girls." She always had pictures of the latest calves on her phone.

Lucinda was active in the Akron community. She was a member of the Antelope Springs Extension Club, the Cowbelles, Health Education Club, the First Presbyterian Church, and local bowling leagues.

Lucinda was a spiritual person. She was well versed in Native American values, culture, and wisdom. She respected the fact that they roamed the land before her. She saw the presence of God in nature as the Native Americans did. She loved the beauty of the dawn and the sunsets and gazing at the stars at night. She would always say to Linda, her longtime friend, "You just don't get this in the city!" She was right. She loved the cowboy western life, chuck wagon BBQs in the shop, visiting around the table. Her heroes were her dad and John Wayne. A good day was a John Wayne movie or a country drive to take in the beauty of the crops while listening to Native American or country western music. Favorite outings were trips to Denver to Indian Market and Pow-Wow, as well as the Stock Show, Greeley Farm Show, and the Brush Livestock sales.

Many local people will miss the sense of community Lucinda created. Everyone was always gathered in the shop, enjoying her delicious farm food, sharing trials and tribulations, jokes, small town stories, and many, many laughs. She could always see the humor in daily life and cared deeply about her friends that she considered her family.

Lucinda passed away peacefully at her home Saturday, June 18, 2016, just in time to join her father and mother in Heaven for Father's Day. She is survived by her brother, Dwane Starlin of Washington D.C., her nephew Geoffrey Starlin of Highlands neighborhood in Denver, her aunt Lois Jean Rao of San Diego, her cousins Pam Rao of Washington DC, Sharon Rao and Sandy Rao of Dallas TX, and Dean Rao of Sidney NE, her cousin Terrie Chapin and wife Sherry of Ft. Morgan as well as many other Chapin family members in Weldona and Fort Morgan, CO.

Lucinda's life was celebrated at the First Presbyterian Church of Akron, CO on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. She was laid to rest in the Akron cemetery near her parents and grandparents. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Cowbelles, the First Presbyterian Church, or the Akron Historical Society.