Mary Starnes

"A Person Loved by Everyone"

Waynesville, Mary Jo Bumgarner Starnes, age 82, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 25, 2017 at her residence.

Mary Jo was a native of Haywood County born on November 23, 1935 to the late William Stokes and Roena Singleton Bumgarner of Bethel. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by two brothers, Reverend Hugh Bumgarner and Earl Bumgarner. Mary Jo grew up in Candler and graduated from Candler Hill School. She studied two and a half years at Western Carolina University and received her BA degree from Pembroke State University in 1959. After teaching one year at Covington Street School in Laurinburg, North Carolina, she and her husband were appointed as missionaries to The Republic of Korea in 1960 by the International Mission board of the Southern Baptist Convention. After they served in the Republic of Korea for 30 years they retired in 1991. They served as Missionaries in Residence for two years at Charleston Southern University in Charleston University and Summerville Baptist Church. In 1993 they moved to Waynesville where she taught at Crabtree Elementary School for one year followed by 20 years working with Lee Starnes State Farm Insurance in Waynesville. Mary Jo has been active in women's and children's missionary organization in the First Baptist and Encouraging Word Baptist Churches in Waynesville as well as singing in choirs.

Mary Joe is survived by her husband of 61 years, Reverend Cloyes Starnes; daughter, Maria Huelsman, and her husband, Steven, of Warner Robbins, Georgia; son, David Russell Starnes, and his wife, Lorraine, of Port Orange, Florida; sisters, Lynn Eargle, of Lexington, South Carolina and Eula Williams, of Spartanburg, South Carolina; brother Ed Bumgarner, of Cherryville, North Carolina; six grandchildren, Michael, Spencer, and Samantha Starnes, Taylor Tucker, Zach and Kendall Huelsman.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 28, 2017 at Encouraging Word Baptist Church, 1408 Pigeon Road, Waynesville with Reverend Michael Horton and Reverend Tim Williams officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:30 until 3:00 p.m. at the church prior to the service.

Memorials may be made to Encouraging Word Baptist Church, 1408 Pigeon Road, Waynesville, NC 28786.

The care of Mrs. Starnes has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes and an online memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at www.wellsfuneralhome.com

Previous Events

Memorial Contribution