Henry Welcher 'Wally' Starr III

Wally Starr (Henry Welcher Starr III) passed away on Sept. 13, 2020, at his home in Centennial, Colo., from complications of Parkinson's disease. Wally, born Oct. 15, 1943, was raised in Porterville. He was a fourth generation native of California, third generation to be raised in Porterville and the great-grandson of Poplar area homesteaders, Elisha Lane and Sarah Ellen Cloer, who came to the area in the 1880s as dry-land wheat farmers. His grandfather and grandmother were Thomas L. and Catherine Betts Cloer, lifelong Porterville residents. His parents were Henry Welcher Starr, Jr. and Evelyne Cloer Starr, both PUHS Class of 1934.

Wally and his older brother, Lane, attended Olive Street School before moving southwest of town near their grandparents' ranch. Wally graduated from Rockford Elementary School in 1957 and from Porterville Union High School in 1961. He graduated from Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo. He married college classmate Lee Blankenship, on Feb. 12,1966.

Wally had a diverse and interesting career as an electrical engineer and product developer for several electronic/computer companies in Spokane, Wash. He lived in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, prior to moving to Colorado. Wally, his brother Lane and their two cousins, Carla and Bill Cloer, were very close and spent many days together on the farm as well as summers at Camp Nelson. Their last outing together was an Alaskan cruise in 2009. Wally was an intelligent man with a quiet sense of humor. He was a gentle soul who cherished his family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Wally is survived by his wife, Lee Starr, and daughter, Brynn Jaouen-Starr; both of Centennial Colo.; son, Brandon Starr of Vancouver, Wash.; grandsons, Kellan Starr and Declan Starr; and his brother Lane Starr of Athol, Idaho. Other surviving relatives include cousins Carla Cloer of Porterville, Dan Cloer of Visalia, Julia Cloer of Northridge, Bill Starr of Henderson, Nev., Barbara Snook of Fallon, Nev. and his Aunt Helen Cloer (Mrs. Thomas Cloer, Jr.) of Monrovia, Calif. There will be no formal memorial service.

Donations to the Parkinson's Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131, or on-line at Parkinson.org, are appreciated.