Eunice Starman, age 83, of Carroll, died peacefully on January 9, 2016, surrounded by family at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Johnson. Music will be by Barb McDermott and the Holy Spirit Choir with Jake Gute as soloist. Eucharistic Minister will be her son Randy Starman. Casket Bearers, Honorary Casket Bearers, Lectors and Gift Bearers will be her grandchildren; Ryan, Steve, and Adam Brown, Aaron Irlbeck, Alicia Newman, Chris and Nic Starman, Dan, Ben, and Josh Klocke, Nicole Larsen, Dave, Matt, and Erica Starman, Nathan Onken, Rachel O’Polka, Abbey Onken, Clark Thompson, Chris Shuman, Meredith Cumro, Jon Shuman, Anna and Scott Drees, Madi, Alex, and Derek Drees. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll.
Friends may call at Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 4 p.m. on Monday where there will be a Rosary prayed at 5 p.m., and a Christian Wake Service will be held at 6:30 p.m.
The casket will be moved to Holy Spirit Church at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, where visitation will resume until the time of the funeral mass.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be left at the funeral home or at the church to be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association, Kuemper Catholic Schools, or Holy Spirit Parish.
Eunice was born on July 13, 1932, daughter of Henry J. and Ann R. (Schwabe) Beckman in Westside, Iowa. The family then moved to Arcadia where Eunice attended grade school at St. John’s and graduated from Arcadia High School, where she played basketball and was also the valedictorian.
After graduation, Eunice worked for Iowa Master Breeders Hatchery, where she first set eyes on her sweetheart. She officially met Louis Starman at a dance at the Arcadia Legion Hall. Louis proposed on Easter Sunday and they were married on Tuesday, August 19, 1952 at St. John’s Church in Arcadia. The Starmans made their home in Carroll where they raised their nine children. Eunice also worked at JcPenney’s for many years after her children all entered school.
Eunice’s 63 year marriage to Louis was long lasting and a true love story. Their marriage was a true testament of love and commitment. Respect for each other and humor were important to the success of their marriage and they could usually be seen holding hands.
Family was Eunice’s greatest joy. She thoroughly enjoyed her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She made a blanket for every newborn grandchild and an afghan for every grandchild’s high school graduation. There were always cookies in the cookie jar and a comfortable lap available. She enjoyed sewing and made many outfits for the kids. Special memories were made on many family vacations.
Eunice was a member of Holy Spirit Parish where she was past president of the St. Peter & Paul’s Ladies’ Guild and very active in parish activities. She also enjoyed playing cards and socializing with friends, especially her Monday night pizza friends, and treasured the friendship and coffee with her neighbors.
Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Louis Starman; nine children and their spouses: Jane (Dan) Brown, Prosper, TX, Donna (Dick) Irlbeck, Templeton, Jim (Louise) Starman, Wilmington, NC, Carol (Bob) Klocke, Mason City, Randy (Pam) Starman, Carroll, Cathy (Dan) Onken, Carroll, Mary (Phil) Shuman, Bellevue, NE, Deanne (Jim) Drees, Carroll, and Sara (Howie) Drees, Carroll, 26 grandchildren, and 28 great grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother, Ray (Irene) Beckman, Carroll and sisters, Lucille Buelt, Halbur, Virginia (Leonard) Buelt, Austin, MN, Phyllis (Don) Wernimont, Virginia Beach, VA, and Verna (Leonard) Tunning, Dedham, a sister-in-law, Margaret Kasperbauer, Manning, brother-in-law, Milo Rees, Guthrie Center as well as many nieces and nephews and extended relatives.
Eunice is preceded in death by a son, Ronald Louis, in infancy, along with her parents, brother-in-law, Herb Buelt, mother and father-in-law, Henry and Catherine Starman, and sister-in-laws Sophia Rees and Theresa (Paul) Mayer and brother-in-laws, Tony (Lorraine) Starman and Jerome Kasperbauer.
