Joe Starks

Mr. Joe Lafayette Starks of Tampa passed away Thursday, July 2, 2020.  Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, July 11 at 4:00 p.m. at Ray Williams Memorial Chapel, 301 N. Howard Avenue with Pastor Leroy Vann, Sr., officiating.  Interment will be held Monday, July 13 at 11:00 a.m. at the Florida National Cemetery, 6502 SW 102nd Avenue, Bushnell, Florida, 33513. We are asking family and friends to follow the CDC guidelines. 

Mr. Joe Lafayette Starks was a native of Lebanon, Tennessee born to Horace Robinson Starks and Frankie Ruthland Starks.  Mr. Starks attended Wilson County High School in Lebanon, TN and graduated in 1956. Joe was the second oldest out of 4 siblings.   

Joe enlisted into the Unites States Air Force in 1959, where he served as a Senior Master Sergeant and retired after 30 years of service in 1989. Joe Starks fought in the Vietnam War also known as the Second Indochina War as an aircraft pilot. During his time in the military while stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Joe played basketball for their Air Force League. Also, while his time at Mac Dill, he met the “Love of His Life” Jessie M. Starks. They were married in May 1964, and enjoyed 56 wonderful years together filled with joys and memories until his demise.

 After his retirement from the military he became a long distance truck driver for a company called “Trucking for Jesus” out of Palm Harbor, FL for 2 years. Thereafter for 3 years he drove for a local tour bus company out of Tampa, FL. One of Joe’s most exciting memories while driving tour busses, was when he transported the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Professional Football Team to and from the airport for their away games. Mr. Starks had the opportunity to speak with coaches such as Tony Dungy, in addition to a few star players of the team.

 A few of Mr. Starks’ hobbies consist of watching Old Western Movies, National Geographic, Fishing Network, and his most favorite College and Professional Football. Joe would often travel to see some of the Historical Black College University (HBCU) football games and enjoy watching the band perform at halftime.  Joe was an active member of High Desert Lodge 107, Shriners International Organization which is a Masonic society established in 1870 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. 

On Thursday July 2, 2020, Joe L. Starks was called home to be with the LORD at the age of 82 years.  Joe Starks is reunited in Heaven with his parents, Horace Robinson Starks and Frankie Ruthland Starks; brother, Horace Edward Starks, all of Lebanon, TN.   

His beautiful life will forever be cherished by: his loving wife, Jessie Starks; son, Reeche Starks (Patricia); Granddaughter, Che’Nault Starks; Grandsons, Marcus Leggett Jr. and Gerald Clark III; Great-grandsons, Rhaland, XzayDhen, Zyaire, Gerald Clark IV, and Amir Antonia Clark; Great-granddaughters, Soraya Jay Clark, and D’Shari Leggett, all of Tampa, FL; brother, Earl Starks (Johnice) of Fayetteville, NC; sister, Frances Starks of Lebanon, TN; sister-in-law, Liona Coats of Tampa, FL; nieces, Erica Starke Knight, Tameika Starke Lawrence, Sharlice Starke Powell, all of Fayetteville, NC, Verna Martin (Patricia) of Atlanta, GA, Khadijah (Peaches) White of Greensboro, NC, Lawanna P. James, Ondria Bryant (John), Penny White, and Sabrina Blatch (Todd), all of Tampa, FL;  nephews, Thomas White of Greensboro, NC,  Leroy Vann Jr. (Shonda), Victor, Vincent, & Vernon White, Anthony Pressley Sr., and (Late) Bernard McDuffie, all of Tampa, FL; God Daughter, Cora L. Rosson of Tampa, FL; niece-in-law, Sheila Pressley of Tampa, FL; and a host of grand-nieces, grand-nephews, cousins, and friends. 

THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC VIEWING.  The Family request that if you plan on attending the service, please wear a mask for the safety of yourself and others.

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