William Starr

Starr, William "Bruce"

passed away on Friday, September 22, after a nine-year battle with Multiple Myeloma. It was a long journey of many challenges, but he came through each crisis with a strong will to live. Bruce was an intelligent man who had a wide range of interests. He pursued each one through many books, Great Courses, the History Channel, National Geo and the Discovery Channel. He was an ardent admirer of naturalist David Attenborough and religiously followed him on PBS. Of special interest for Bruce were the Civil War, classical music and religions of the world. He was also a strong advocate for civil rights. In the 90s, Bruce volunteered with Dayton's Suicide Prevention Center. He created a training manual for SPC and was among the counselors that took phone calls from people in need of help. In 1970, Bruce enlisted in the Army. After AIT (advanced individual training) he was stationed in Okinawa where he was an office machine repair foreman. He reenlisted in 1972; after training, he served as an MP, followed by a stint at Ft. Leavenworth as a prison guard. After his discharge from the Army, he was employed as a copy repairman for IBM. In his 50s, after taking his retirement from IBM, Bruce decided to pursue a different career path. He enrolled in Sinclair Community College to study for an Occupational Therapy Assistant associate degree. He graduated in August 2005 and worked in assisted living facilities and nursing homes for several years. He then transferred to a fulfilling position in home health until his diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma on May 1, 2014. Bruce is survived by his wife of 22 years, Sue Moorman Starr of Dayton; his son, Robert Starr; daughter-in-law, Carmen; and grandson, Cole, all from Birmingham, Alabama. In addition, those surviving include stepson, Eric Vallo and wife, Elizen, of Portland, Oregon, and stepdaughter, Amanda Vallo, of Denver, Colorado. Also mourning his loss are Bogie (the dog) and Daryl (the cat), who are still looking for him. Donations to Freedom Service Dogs (FSD) in memory of Buce would be greatly appreciated. FSD provides emotional and physical support dogs free of charge for veterans suffering from PTSD and/or physical disabilities. They also help children with autism and others with life limiting injuries. Contact FSD at freedomservicedogs.org to make an online donation, or mail to Freedom Service Dogs, 7193 S. Dillon Court, Englewood, CO 80112. There will be a private memorial service for family and close friends. We would like to thank funeral director, Marty Batsche, at Baker-Hazel & Snider for his kindness in guiding us through the final preparations. To leave the family a special message, please visit www.bakerhazelsnider.com