Regina Lynn Starnes

Regina "Gina" Lynn Starnes, 75, passed away on the morning of Saturday, July 19, 2025, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Her passing leaves a deep ache in the hearts of all who loved her.

Born in 1949, Gina grew up in a U.S. Air Force family, which shaped her lifelong love for travel and adventure. She was a cosmopolitan and elegant woman who lived in bustling cities like Honolulu, Chicago, San Francisco, Fairbanks, New York City, and even near Tel Aviv, while also traveling the globe and writing about her journeys in vivid postcards to family. Her beauty, grace, and sense of adventure were magnetic-so much so that she appeared on a brochure cover for a discotheque at Chicago's famed Ambassador Hotel as the image of "contemporary sophistication."

Gina dedicated her career to helping others find meaningful paths and strengthening connections between academia and industry. After earning a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of Mississippi and an M.S. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Kansas, she spent over 20 years in leadership roles, including Recruiting Coordinator at Ole Miss, Associate Director of Employer Relations at KU, Director of Career Services at LSU Shreveport, and Director of Professional Development at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. A strong advocate for public service, she was a longtime member of the Southeastern Federal Recruiters and Colleges Association and served as an advisor to Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society at LSUS for four years.

Above all, Gina was a devoted and proud mother and grandmother. She shared with her family her curiosity for new cultures and travel, her talent for writing famously clever gift tag riddles, her love of board games like Chicken Foot, and the joy she found in holidays-especially laying Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery to honor those who served. Most of all, she taught the values of resilience, fortitude, and perseverance.

Alas, Gina always spoke most fondly about childhood visits to her grandparents in Oxford, Mississippi-where her love for black-eyed peas, collard greens, and Ole Miss took root. Oxford remained her happy place throughout her life. She was a proud Rebel, always READY with a spirited "Hotty Toddy!" and loved strolling the Square or searching Square Books for a signed John Grisham novel. It is only fitting that Gina returns to Oxford to be laid to rest along her beloved red dirt road.

Gina is preceded in death by her parents, Helene and William Starnes; her brother, Russell Starnes; and her grandparents, Top and Lula Starnes and Andreas and Therese "Resi" Schmidt. She is survived by her children Mike (Lien), Cindy (Santiago), and Angelique (Jeff); grandchildren Sahara and Yasmeen; her siblings William (Anne), Kathy (Tom), and Christina (Scott); and many cherished nieces, nephews, friends, and colleagues.

A service to celebrate Gina's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at Springdale Free Will Baptist Church in Oxford. In honor of her vibrant spirit, attendees are invited to wear Ole Miss red and blue. Those wishing to send flowers may do so through University Florist in Oxford (662-234-6044).