Ruby Lavern Starbuck

Ruby Lavern Starbuck passed away peacefully in McKinney, Texas on June 14, 2017 after a brief illness. Lavern was born on September 7, 1934 to William F and Marie Munsterman in Ancho, New Mexico.

She married Robert A. Bracey and moved to Anchorage, Alaska while he served in the Air Force, then moved to Boston Massachusetts. Lavern spent many years traveling the world with Robert who was working for the United States government, raising her children and devoting herself to her family.Lavern provided stability, love and comfort while organizing and overseeing many household moves and assimilating new cultures, languages, and schools when in Greece, Germany, Japan, Portugal, and England. She was an expert seamstress, quilt maker, enjoying crafts and cooking.Lavern spent time orienting other women and families to life overseas, and volunteered her time making sure that they were well versed in navigating their new life in a foreign country.

After retirement,Lavern married William (Bill) Starbuck and fulfilled her love of the outdoors while enjoying a small farm in Carthage, Missouri for many years, raising cows and chickens, her beloved dog Molly, flower and vegetable gardening and canning her crops, fishing, and baseball. In 2007, Bill and Lavern moved to McKinney Texas to be closer to her sons, daughters and grandchildren.

Lavernspent many hours planning for spring, her favorite season, growing vegetables from seed, and watching over and tending her garden and flowers. She loved wild birds, welcomed them to her yard, and was constantly aware of their supply of bird seed.Lavern gently reminded everyone at every opportunity to “always feed the birds”.

Lavern was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend and will be deeply missed. She was happiest with simple pleasures in life but most content when spending time with her family and friends.

Lavern held a deep faith in God's plan and relied on that faith daily but certainly during times of grief and the passing of her husband, brothers and sisters, children and parents. We know that she is reunited with them and at peace. Lavern is preceded in death by: husband, Charles L. Starbuck; both parents; her children Virginia Lee, Donald Arthur, and Lin Held; brothers Cleo Munsterman, Daryl Munsterman, Douglas Munsterman, William F. Munsterman, Jr.; and sisters Phyllis White, Viola Morgan, and Beverly Pape. Lavern is survived by: her brother, Melvin Munsterman; son, Glenn Robert Bracey; daughter, Debra Bracey Layman and husband Greg Layman; step-grandson, David Blake Layman and wife Kristie; step grandson, Daniel Kent Layman; son, Richard A. Bracey and wife Anke Bracey; grandson, Justin R Held; granddaughter, Emily Miller and husband Tate Miller; and granddaughter Alexandra Lin Bracey.