St. George, Utah – Joan C. Starkey, age 94, passed away March 3, 2016 at the Ridgeview Gardens in St. George, Utah.  She was born October 8, 1921 in Evanston, Wyoming to William J. L. and Mary Carpenter. Joan was married to Leslie E. Starkey on June 30, 1938 and they made their home in Evanston, Wyoming.

Mrs. Starkey is survived by her daughter, Nadine J. (Allen) Jones, eight grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren. Her husband, Leslie Starkey; a son, L. John Starkey; a brother, William Howard; and a sister, Evangeline Olsen, preceded her in death.

Mrs. Starkey enjoyed baking and decorating cakes, and making mints. She baked and decorated a range of designer cakes from ABC blocks, cradles, and clowns, to dolls with lovely full formals. Every year she was asked to make a carrot cake with coffee frosting for a local bank manager. Wedding cakes were her specialty. Four grandchildren were recipients of wedding cakes she made. She also made and decorated groom's cakes. Mrs. Starkey made a baby shower cake for one girl in Evanston and 20 years later made her wedding cake.

Joan also enjoyed making and painting ceramics. She taught art and ceramics for the fledgling art program at the Wyoming State Hospital. She owned her own kiln and taught ceramics from her home. Joan produced porcelain tea sets, porcelain-wrapped dolls, and covered candy dishes. She hand-made and petal-by-petal fashioned the large roses for the candy dishes. She also sent Honored Queen ceramic dolls to Jobs Daughters.

She loved to plan a neighborhood party just to get folks together. She planned anniversary parties for her family members and volunteered making the cakes. Those cakes weren't just beautiful, they were delicious. Grandma Starkey didn't keep her knowledge to herself. She willingly and lovingly taught her granddaughters and great-granddaughters to decorate cakes or to clean and paint ceramics.

In Evanston Mrs. Starkey attended the Presbyterian Church. She taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Day Camp. In St, George, she and Mr. Starkey joined the Southern Baptist Church. They hosted Bible Studies in their home and were regular members of a Sunday School Class. She also assisted in Vacation Bible School. Mrs. Starkey was a charter member of Westside Baptist Church, which she loved very much. Later when she could no longer drive, she joined Desert Sprints (now called South Mountain Community Church) with her daughter and family.

Mrs. Starkey was active in her community. She was a member of a Home Making group, the Ladies' Literary, and was a Gray Lady Volunteer at the Wyoming State Hospital. She was a Hospice volunteer in St. George for the Dixie Medical Center.

Mrs. Starkey loved her family and remembered them with nice birthday and Christmas gifts. The memories from the gift of the graduation trip will last a lifetime. She and Mr. Starkey sent or took the grandchildren on graduation tours to Disney World, LDS historical sights, or foreign language area including Panama and Mexico. Also, graduates received new luggage.

Family members remember Grandma as the "game one" willing to teach the Boy Scouts to gut fish, and 4-H girls to make frosting roses. Grandma even joined a family group for an inner-tube ride down the local irrigation canal.

Grandchildren remember visiting Grandma Starkey in Evanston and finding her home "immaculate and tastefully decorated." One granddaughter remembers having an appendicitis attack while visiting in Evanston. She had an appendectomy and recovered while staying with Grandma. "Grandma was so kind and caring." Two granddaughters were very blessed to have Grandma baby-sit their sons. (The babies were less than two years old when she was 70.). One grandson remembers getting "smile" shoes to remind him to smile.

Another grandson remembers fun vacation times when he came to St. George staying with Grandma and Grandpa and visiting with cousins every year. A granddaughter remembers becoming car sick on a trip to Springdale. Grandma moved her to the front seat and gave her 7Up. She felt so special. All Grandma Starkey's grandchildren enjoyed school-clothes shopping with Grandma. She had good taste in clothes and she could shop a bargain.

Mrs. Starkey enjoyed traveling. She and Mr. Starkey visited Hawaii, went to the east coast to see the autumn colors and to visit the historical sites, visited most western states, and the west coast, and traveled to Canada. They also made a trip to Disney World with a daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. She vacationed in Hawaii a second time taking her daughter and son-in-law on a five-island tour complete with fishing and snorkeling. In addition, she and her daughter went on a Charles Stanley Christian cruise to the Bahamas.

Mrs. Starkey loved God and marveled in His grace to sending Jesus to die for us. She was always aware of and full of thanks for His beautiful creation and for her family.

The family of Mrs. Starkey wishes to thank Ridgeview Gardens for their care and to Rocky Mountain Hospice for their devotion in making her final years bearable.

A hand-written note found in Mrs. Starkey's things indicates what touched her heart.

A Smile

A smile is like a little wedge,

That often keeps us from the edge

Of getting sad or feeling blue.

I love to see a smile, don't you?