Rear Admiral Merlin H. Staring

Rear Admiral Merlin H. Staring, JAGC, USN, passed on June 3, 2013 at the age of 94. Born in 1919 in upstate New York, he lived a long and successful life. Merlin earned a scholarship to LSU and graduated with honors in Physics and Speech. Named outstanding ROTC field-artillery cadet, he then joined the Navy. Called to active duty in December, 1941, he reported to Washington DC, his first duty station the Naval Observatory. Attending night school, he earned his law degree and his Master of Laws from Georgetown University. He then became part of the Judge Advocate General Corps of the Navy and had tours of duty in DC, Naples, Italy, Hawaii, and London, England, where he gave legal advice to Admiral John Sidney McCain, Sr., Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe. He was then assigned as Counsel to the Secretary of the Navy. He traveled all over the world with John Chaffee and John Warner. He was appointed Deputy Judge Advocate General in 1971 and then served as The Judge Advocate General of the Navy. In his illustrious 33-year naval career he earned the Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Legion of Merit, World War II Victory medal, and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He retired from the Navy in 1975 as a Rear Admiral. Following that he was in private practice in the DC area. Rear Admiral Staring moved to Palm Desert in 2006 and married his present wife, Jo Anne. He lived in Sun City, Palm Desert, for seven years. He is survived by his wife, Jo Anne, his grandchildren, Steven Newlin and Ralphine O'Rourke, and his beloved dogs, Holly and Noel. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

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