Patrick J. Starrs' Obituary
Patrick (Paddy) Starrs, of Annapolis, MD, died peacefully at home on August 12, 2012. Born in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1938, Paddy came to the US in 1956. He served in the US Army for three years, during which time he became an American citizen. He graduated with a business degree from the University of Baltimore, and worked in the clothing industry for 45 years, ending his career with retirement from English American Tailoring in Westminster. He and his wife of 43 years, the former Bernadette Helinski, had three children and were residents of Reisterstown, MD for 36 years. Following Bernadette's death in 2004, he was remarried in 2007 to Ann Lesyna.
Paddy was incredibly proud of his Irish heritage, travelling as often as he could back to Derry to see family, friends and the town he loved so well. He was a lifelong member of Baltimore's Emerald Isle Club and greatly enjoyed socializing with fellow Irish members, many of whom he knew from his boyhood in Derry. He enjoyed sports, especially soccer, and was a talented player as a youth in Ireland. He was an avid golfer and weekends would find him tee-to-green with his wife Ann or his sons-in-law.
Paddy was a gregarious, happy man with many lifelong friends and for whom there were no strangers, just people he hadn’t yet met. To his grandchildren he was Pop-Pop who filled the house with booming laughter, Irish song, and secretive dollar bills. He brought as much joy into their lives and they did to him.
In addition to his wife, Paddy is survived by his son, Thomas Starrs of Westminster, MD; two daughters, Janice Starrs Scotton and Maureen Starrs Knight, both of Annapolis; a sister, Mary Helinski of Glen Burnie; a stepson, Mark Lesyna of Seattle, WA ; a stepdaughter, Catherine Hofstetter of State College, PA; 12 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He will be missed.
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