Page 47 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2022 - Online Magazine

EXCEPTIONAL SENIORS

in Texas are fabulous. You can say hello to a stranger,
and they will always smile.”
It's also a well-known fact that being a preacher's wife
is not particularly easy. And with the parsonage located
conveniently close to the church, it was always easy for
people to “ask Mrs. Starnes.” But, according to people
who know, Alice made it look easy.

She and Newton moved to Lubbock in 1981, when he
retired. Before he passed away in 1998, they took many
trips to visit family in Denver and North Dakota and
Jack, George, Mary, Alice
Chaplain Newton Starnes and Kathryn Dvirnak East Texas. Son, Charles Jr., spent 27 years in the Navy,
so they often visited him wherever he was stationed.
(Charles is the current mayor of Plainview. His story is
chaplain of the base in Alabama. He had one more year in the 2018 Veteran issue of Senior Link. You can read
of active duty (at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) but, as soon as it online at lubbockseniorlink.com.) Daughter Mary, a
he was discharged, they married—Dec. 18, 1946. musician and retired teacher, has relocated to Lubbock,

East Texas native Newton Starnes was already an and Beth is head of the Social Services Department
ordained Methodist minister, so he brought his new in the heart transplant unit of Memorial Hermann
bride home to the Lone Star State to continue his calling. Hospital in Houston. The three have gifted Alice with ten
Their first assignment was Oklahoma Lane, TX, a little grandchildren, (one a Navy veteran), and seven great-
community between Bovina and Friona. Northwest grands.
Texas was a bit of a culture shock for the young lady When Alice Dvirnak was born, Warren Harding was
from North Dakota. Seventy five years later, she still President, the Lincoln Memorial had just been dedicated,
misses trees! Over the next 52 years, Newton and Alice and radio was new technology. A family could buy
served churches in Abilene, Borger, Canyon, Sweetwater, a car for $500, and women in America had just been
Stanford, and Lamesa, among others. They were only granted the right to vote. Alice says, “It has been an
in Abilene three years, but it was long enough to have adventure from the beginning!” She doesn't dwell on
two children, Charles Jr. and Mary. Elizabeth was born the hard times. In fact, she doesn't seem to remember
in Borger. Borger was also where they first got a TV. “It any. Her advice to younger people (and that includes
was black and white, but we got it just in time to see the almost everyone) is, “Embrace your life as it is.” That
coronation of Queen Elizabeth.” philosophy appears to have worked out well for Alice
It’s common knowledge that the Methodist Church Starnes—youthful centenarian, beloved mother and
moves their pastors around a lot. “You go wherever the grandmother, preacher’s wife, and proud Navy veteran.
next assignment is. Back then, we always lived in the
parsonage,” but Alice did her best to make every house
a comfortable home. Wherever they found themselves,
the congregations embraced them. Newton was always
highly respected and well-loved. Her children thrived.
One of the best things about being a pastor's wife was
“the social connection. The Methodist women always
adopted us like family. I loved every new place. We
were always accepted. I did not miss the winters in
North Dakota, and I loved everything about Texas from
the beginning, except for those years when much of
Colorado was deposited in Texas by dust storms. People

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