Claudia Lee (Murrell) Starr April 7, 1938 ~ September 9, 2022 (age 84)

Obituary

An informal memorial gathering to remember the life of Claudia Lee Starr, 84, of Portales, will be held at 2:00 PM, Fri., Sept. 16, 2022 at the family residence, 513 New York Dr, in Portales.

Claudia Lee Starr was born April 7, 1938 in Madera, CA to the home of Fern Louise (White) and Larry Murrell, and died at her home in Portales on the evening of Sept. 9, 2022. Mrs. Starr grew up in Lamont, CA, and graduated from high school in Arvin, CA. On June 20, 1954, at the age of 16, she was married to Cloy Price Starr. They continued to make their home in Arvin until the mid-1970’s when they moved to Elida.

While living in Elida, she attended Eastern New Mexico University, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. She worked for two years as a Bi-Lingual teacher in Morton, TX, and then taught in Sacramento, NM for another year before moving back to California. While living in California, she completed a Master’s Degree from California State University in Bakersfield. Mrs. Starr taught for more than 19 years in Arvin, before retiring in 2001. At that time, she moved to Wichita Falls, TX to make her home close to her children. In 2015, she and her family moved to Portales.

Mrs. Starr enjoyed playing the piano, and watching a variety of classic movies and horror shows. She was also an avid gardener, and an accomplished cook. Among the dishes that she particularly enjoyed preparing were her beans and stews. Mrs. Starr held a Black Belt in Kiddo Martial Arts. She was a member of the Baptist Church.

She is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Clay Perry Starr of Portales and Preston Matthew and Wendy Starr of Tulsa, OK; a daughter, Rebecca Starr of Portales; six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Michael Murrell of Redding, CA and Greg Murrell of Wichita Falls, TX. She was preceded in death by both of her parents, a sister, Sandra Johnson, a son, Vincent Presley Starr and by her beloved husband, Cloy Price Starr, who died Jan. 12, 2013 after more than 58 years of marriage.

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