Judith Elaine Starkey

May 19, 1926 - August 18, 2016

Raymondville, Texas Judith Elaine (Kaiser) Starkey, 90, of Harlingen, was taken home by the Lord on Thursday August 18th. She was born May 19, 1926, at Cedar Dell Farm in Garnavillo, Iowa, to Edward and Dora (Ponsar) Kaiser. Born in sin with all humanity, she was born again through the water and words of God's holy baptism. Nurtured in Christ's teaching, she confirmed her God given Christian faith looking to the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth to keep her for eternity. She attended Iowa State University, and the University of Dubuque, and after graduating from the University of Dubuque, she taught home economics for two years. On August 7, 1949, she was united in Christian marriage to Richard Starkey at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Garnavillo. They called the song “Always” theirs. They were blessed with four children, whom they trained up in the Lord while living in Waterloo, Iowa. In 1976 the Lord provided opportunity for Dick and Judy to own and operate Woodland Resort on the beautiful Lake of the Woods in Sioux Narrows, Ontario, Canada. Following retirement, they remained in Canada, and northern Minnesota for several years, while at the same time being Winter Texans in Rockport, Port Mansfield, Raymondville, and most recently Harlingen. Judy is preceded in death by her parents and her two sisters. She is survived by her husband of 67 years; her children Barbara (Robert) James of Arlington, TN, Debra (Richard) Bachman of Fort Stockton, TX, Edward (Janice) Starkey of Corpus Christi, TX, and Thomas Starkey (Gloria Walters) of Duluth, MN. Her grandchildren; Stephanie (John) Strelka, Doren (Antonia) James, Erik Bachman, Melissa (Mark) Holsten, and Kaiser (Kaitlyn) Starkey; Great-grandchildren Jes, Madeline, Elizabeth, Zoey, Adrieno, Ethan, Kathryn, and Libey. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, August 25 with the family beginning to receive guests at 6:00 p.m. at the Duddlesten Funeral Home in Raymondville, Texas. Her funeral service will be held Friday, August 26 at Bethel Lutheran Church, 8243 Park Ave., Lyford, Texas at 10:00 a.m. Judy's body will be laid to rest at RGV State Veteran's Cemetery in Mission, Texas to await resurrection at the Lord's return on the last day. Her living and dying confession was Christ for her. Therefore when He comes again in judgment, His words of assurance that her Keeper had preserved her soul forevermore, were and will be her everlasting assurance. In lieu of flowers, a memorial may be given to Bethel Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 250, Lyford, TX 78569 or ChristianCrusaders.org. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Duddlesten Funeral Home, 604 W. Hidalgo Ave., Raymondville, Texas.