Clarence “Ray” Starkes, 85, of Buckeye passed away Dec. 29, 2014, at Hospice of the Valley, Glendale, AZ, from a stroke. He will be sorely missed by family and friends, but fondly remembered with smiles. He was born April 6, 1929, in Lark Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada He served in the Canadian Royal Air Force for eight years. He moved to Arizona in 1959, and worked as an aircraft engineer at Phoenix Sky Harbor Int’l & Deer Valley airports. In 1978, he opened Aircraft Repair, Co. at the Buckeye Municipal Airport. Over the years, he performed hundreds of annual inspections, restored 11 classic aircraft and built 14 others, including 8 stunt and experimental aircraft. He built a prototype flight simulator for Sperry Aviation, modified the first Cessna for the Arizona Game and Fish Department and built a custom muscle car before retiring in 2005. He is survived by two daughters, Kathy Rae Richard (Robert Chetlan) of Phoenix and Kimberly Elms (Gene) of Anthem; son, Keith R. Starkes of Buckeye; sister, Margie Burger of Hornell, N.Y.; eight grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by wife of 26 years, Paula Ione Starkes, and survived by her two children Karen I. Weber and Russell Gregory Flynn,, Nephew, Pat Oliver, 9 grandchildren , 10 great grandchildren even great-great grandchildren. Graveside service will be held at 1:00pm on Friday, Jan 16, 2015 at Greenwood Memory Lawn, 2300 W. Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85009. Condolences accepted at [email protected] Contributions to Hospice of the Valley. Glendale, AZ accepted in lieu of flowers. The lady in the picture is his mother on her 100th birthday. The boy is my nephew Quinton. I thought he would live forever!!
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 08:47:15 +0000
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