In Memory of Susan Starr(1946 - 2018)
- Name
- Susan Starr
- Spouse
- William Starr
- Children
- Jennie, Marlo, Pattie, Will, Joshua
- Birth Date
- August 21, 1946
- Blessing Date
- October 14, 1982
- Ascension Date
- June 19, 2018
- Local Church
- Las Vegas Family Church
Susan Starr, Las Vegas Family Church Pastor’s wife for many years, ascended to the spirit world at her home in Las Vegas on June 19, 2018 following a long bout with cancer.
Susan was active in the Las Vegas community since she moved to the city in 1996. She assisted her husband, William Starr, who was Pastor of Las Vegas Family Church for 14 years from 1996 to 2009. Susan loved preparing the meals for church events and keeping a tight relationship with her children, friends, and business associates. Susan was a good friend of the American Clergy Leadership Conference and Ambassadors for Peace.
Susan was born in 1946 in Southern California as the eldest daughter of Ray and Trudy Burbank. She spent her early years in Honduras with her parents as Quaker missionaries. The family settled in Whittier, CA where Susan attended middle school and high school. She then attended George Fox College in Oregon and Azusa Pacific College in Southern California.
In 1968, following a three-day experience embraced by God’s love, Susan left Azusa Pacific in the spring of her Senior year and traveled to Berkeley, CA. There she heard the teachings of the Divine Principle for the first time and immediately joined the Unified Family in Berkeley and then San Francisco.
In 1973, Susan attended the International Leadership 100-Day Seminar in Barrytown, New York in preparation for a pioneer mission to Mexico. She returned from her mission to the USA to support True Father’s address at Yankee Stadium and the Washington Monument in 1976. Susan then joined the church center in Wyoming before becoming church secretary in Washington, D.C. and then in Los Angeles, CA.
Susan and William were matched by True Parents in 1979 and attended the 6,000 couples Marriage Blessing in Korea in 1982. Susan joined the International One World Crusade Team in California in 1983. In 1984, Susan helped William pioneer a new Family Church in Tucson, AZ. In 1987, True Father appointed William as Arizona State Director, and in 1988, True Father assigned him to be Missouri State Director. While in Arizona, Susan gave birth to three daughters, Jennie, Marlo, and Pattie and in St. Louis she had two sons, Will and Joshua.
In 1996, William accepted the position as Pastor of Las Vegas Family Church and Nevada State Director. Susan served as acting pastor of the church several times while William was in New York, Washington, D.C., and Korea helping with providential activity.
Susan was active in the Blessing and Rededication of Marriage Ceremonies in many local churches over the years. Her family personally officiated the rededication of 185 couples in their northwest neighborhood as part of the worldwide 3.6 million Couples Blessing and Rededication.
Starting in 2008, Susan and other local Unificationists helped host many of True Parents’ visits to Las Vegas. Susan was especially proud of her flower bouquets and arrangements for True Parents.
In 1990, she spent two months in Senegal, Africa supporting the missionary work. In 1996, Susan was in Korea for two months, and she participated in Korean community outreach in Seoul in 2003. She also attended a 21-Day Registration Blessing Workshop in New York in 2006.
Susan was always busy taking care of her five children who attended local and magnet middle and high schools and college in Las Vegas. Susan traveled to workshops with her children in Illinois, California, Colorado, New York, and Korea.
Susan is survived by William in Las Vegas and their five children.
- Time
- 9:00 AM
- Date
- Saturday, June 30, 2018
- Location
- Las Vegas Family Church: 7966 Haven St., LV NV 89123
- Viewing
- 8:00 AM to 8:45 AM
John Hitchler
| #
Susan, thank you! My love has always been so genuine and sincere for you. With deep thoughts Susan,
John
Reply
Mercedes González
| #
Dear William and family:
I’ll always remember Susan with an smile in her face, active and giving person. It’s great for me to come to know her and your family in Phoenix – Arizona.
A lot of love for her in the other realm and warm greetings to you and your family!
Osamu and Mercedes + 3 sons.
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Dan Stein
| #
Susan, I can never forget your continued support as we worked together educating clergy in Divine Principle, especially in the last years before Fathers ascension. God Bless You!
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Daisy Joy Elizabeth Kuroha
| #
Beloved elder sister!
What a surprise! You left ahead of us so soon. I hope you won’t hesitate to whoop some of us over the head when you see us spacing out and unfocused on the mission. Love you always.
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Nicholas Kernan
| #
Dear Bill, Condolences to you and all your children during this time. I have so many happy memories of working with you and Susan (and Jennie) in Tucson, AZ during the 80’s. Susan was always so great to be around, with the brightest smile and warmest heart. Peace and love to you all as you prepare for her joyful ascension.
Yours truly, Nick
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David Floyd
| #
Susan Starr is one of the sweetest,
humble, loving, kind, considerate, trustworthy, wonderful people I ever had the pleasure to know.
I know the Heavenly Parents will
bless her abundantly in the spirit world.
I love you Susan, you are so awesome.
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Barry / Mariko Geller
| #
Blessings and love to you, Susan. May your family and Bill be comforted by Heaven and True Parents love and Truth. Thank you for all your goodness.
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Gunnard Johnston
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May Heaven love and embrace Susan and all of her family at this critical time and going forward. A life lived for the sake of others has eternal value.
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Roger Alan Wise
| #
I first met Susan in 1977 when I joined the church in Washington DC.
We worked together for one year and during that period of time became very good friends.
Susan is such a giving person. She has such a wonderful sense of humor and a very quick wit about her.
She has the special ability to turn a very difficult situation into a challenge that could be overcome by teamwork.
Whenever I saw her at different locations for the past 40 years… She was always laughing about something.
Her laughter was contagious. No matter how difficult the situation was, Susan had such a deep heart that she could turn it around and make it somehow humorous.
She is one of the finest cooks that I have ever met. Even now… I can remember how delicious her meals were. She put her whole heart into her meals.
I remember once when True Father gave us a four hour notice that he was driving down from New York City and would be at our Church Center in four hours.
All the sisters immediately started cooking a special meal for Father.
When Father arrived he was in such a hurry that he only took one bite of the meal. He then told all of the members to enjoy the meal and left.
The dish that Father tasted was Susan’s.
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Tom Pritty
| #
Connections of heart remain forever. We’ll pray for a smooth and fragrant journey for our dear sister.
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Helen A.
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May your beloved family be blessed with special love. comfort and memories at this time.
Susan, victorious and joyful ascension to you in your new home of peace with lots of love, life and Heavenly action with Heavenly Parent, True Father, Jesus and everyone you’re seeing again. Thank you for choosing to say yes to God and join new spiritual siblings in San Francisco when you did. May optimism and love fill our future generations on behalf of God as you have been.
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Jim Caron and family
| #
To Bill and Susan and family, I can never forget you guys. We are praying for Susan on her journey to heaven and for you Bill and the children. You are a victorious family in attending the living Messiah and you have done well.
Reply
CN
| #
“Ye shall know them by their fruit”…with 5wonderful children and an exemplary husband may
You fly in the spirit world with great glory. Peace our dear sister!
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Heather Thalheimer
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What a beautiful legacy. You were called to serve Heaven in miraculous ways and created so many miracles. Thank you for your faithful, loving service to God and True Parents and the many brothers and sisters whose lives you touched.
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Ela Izabela
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Thank you Susan for your exemplary faith and willingness to sacrifice your life for helping Heavenly Parent to restore this world 😇❤️🙏May your new journey lead you to the highest realms🙏
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monica ishioka
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Mi querida hermana, “que lindo siempre poder hablar contigo en spanish!!! So proud of our children when they work together in STF, I will miss you and every time Heavenly Father give me the oportunity to see your beautiful children I will give them an extra hug from you…I PROMISE
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Gerrie Porcella Linek
| #
Sorry this is long, but I wanted to express my heart to Susan’s family, through a few experiences that stand out in my memory. I have been thinking of Susan, Bill, and family all week, reflecting on a life lived in joyfulness and service to others. Susan was/is such a genuine, natural soul. She didn’t seem to have any baggage or hang-ups! She always had a natural friendliness about her — never forced. She made you feel at home and comfortable. We last spent an afternoon with Susan and Bill last fall. Ever the great hostess, she served us a beautifully prepared lunch. I marveled at her strength and determination as she valiantly battled her health issues. She was tough, without any sharp edges.
Susan and I first met around 1969, when she and two others moved from Berkeley to our San Francisco center. I remember that she took a job as a waitress at the time and would return to the center each night weighed down with tips. Her customers obviously responded to her friendliness, warmth, and personal service!
Over a decade later, Susan encouraged me to travel with her to Korea for the October 14 blessing. She and Bill had already been matched. However, I had been through two previous matchings that did not work out, was feeling down, and doubtful that father would want to see my face again. She kept after me and buoyed my spirits, helping me to feel hopeful again. She had a way about her that made you feel good about yourself. We did attend the blessing together and spent a wonderful few days in Korea.
Our return flight was an “orphan flight”. There were a number of Korean infants traveling to the U.S.A. to their adoptive families. Since they had minimal “skin touch” in the first few months of life, we were asked to hold them throughout the entire flight. Toward the end of the trip we were asked to write a note about our experience with the baby we held, to be given to the adoptive parents. That was such a wonderful shared experience as we embarked on a new adventure as married couples.
Our paths crossed again for a time at Hearst Avenue center, as we were each expecting our first child. Our paths diverged after that, but we met up periodically at various events. I imagine that Susan is already quite busy in the spiritual realm, free of physical pain, doing what she does best. Susan is someone I will never forget. We send our love and prayers to Bill and family. May our heavenly parents embrace you and comfort you during this difficult time.
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maria piperis
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Susan you have given me so much love and made me feel part of your family. You have always treated everyone with respect and always with a smile. May your journey be beautiful just as you have been to us. Thank you!
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Jo Ann Crooks
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I pray God will welcome her into His arms. I pray she has a smooth transition into the spirit world, and God will remember all the things she tried to do for Heaven. God bless and comfort her family.
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Donald Mull
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Dear Bill,
My condolences to you and your family. You and I worked together in Oakland Church from 1975-1980. I was sent to Ginseng Up and we lost touch. I never met your wife and children. My prayers go out to you and your family. Thank you for giving so much to heaven and the American providence.
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