Gayle Startin

Gayle Startin, 83, longtime resident of Hooper and LaCrosse, died July 4, at his home surrounded by his loving family. Arthur Gayle Startin was born March 4, 1932 in Dayton, Washington to Roy and Daisy (Whitney) Startin. He grew up in Dayton and attended high school there.

Gayle learned to be a hard worker from a young age. He held jobs with Ira & Willene Daniel helping to work on their farm, the OK Tire Shop in Moses Lake and also at the Dayton Grange.

Gayle married Nancy Vining on June 24, 1951 at Waitsburg. They made their home in Dayton for a time and in 1952 they moved to Hooper. Gayle did farm work for several area farmers including Hubert Donahue Farms, Bill Mays Farm, Wilbur J. Kopp and later worked for Mays Farm Equipment.

In 1965, Gayle and Nancy opened the doors of Startin’s Repair in the Hattamer building with a few tools and borrowed equipment from local people. A few farmers prepaid on their accounts to give them financial support. In 1978 the business moved up the street to its current location.

Gayle was a lifetime member of the NRA; a lifetime member of the Washington High School Rodeo Association; a longtime member of the LaCrosse Volunteer Fire Department and held memberships in the Palouse Empire Fair Foundation and the Whitman County Water Conservancy Board. He was always active in the community and helped in any way he could. Gayle was often the first at work and the last to leave.

He and Nancy were honored to serve as the Palouse Empire Fair Grand Marshals in 2009. He was an avid hunter including elk hunting in the Blue Mountains, 12 years moose hunting in Canada and 3 trips to Zimbabwe Africa. He liked to go camping with his family when they were younger and following them in their high school rodeos and horse shows.

In 1997 Gayle and Nancy sold their business to Eric and Lois who had worked for them over several years. For many years, there were three generations of Startin’s working side by side under one roof. For Gayle – “there wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix”. He will be remembered by his family as an “amazing man.” After he sold, Gayle kept working for Startin’s repair until 2011, well into his late 70’s. He loved to work!

He is survived by his wife of 64 years Nancy; three children, Chad (Nancy) Startin of Colfax, Eric (Lois) Startin of LaCrosse and Tammy (Richard) Nolen of Lexington, KY; 6 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren (with one more on the way) as well as by his brother, Darrel Startin of Spokane. He was preceded in death by his parents and by 3 sisters, Phyllis, Lena Mae and Dorothy and by 2 brothers, Leo and Robert.

A Memorial Service celebrating his life will be held on Sunday, July 19th, at 2:00 p.m. at the Hooper Hotel.

The family suggests memorial gifts be made to the LaCrosse Scholarship Fund or to the Palouse Empire Fair Foundation.

Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax has been entrusted with arrangements. On-line condolences may be left for the family at http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com