Curtis H Starr's birthday March 15, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CURTIS, 

Much of this information is taken from Curtis’ mother’s sketch of him that was included in Lanny’s Genealogy book. Curtis "H" Starr was born March 15, 1948 in Tremonton, Utah. His mother stated that since there hadn’t been a new baby in the family in over six years, Curtis seemed really special to his sister Sandra and his brother Lanny.
Curtis was blessed and given a name at the old Plymouth Ward Chapel built under the direction of his Great Grandfather William Russell Archibald who was born March 16, 1840 in Scotland; we will include a short sketch of him on the 16^th.
When Curtis was three years old the children received a Shetland pony for Christmas which they named Bunny. Curt learned to ride well and really loved her. Later they had "Starla" and a little stud, Curtis and his Dad bought named "Geronimo." Curtis broke him to ride and he was an extra well-trained horse.



The four Starr boys

Curtis’ youngest brother Kim was born when Curtis was four years old, making four boys in the family, besides his sister Sandra.

When he was seven a sister Karen was born.

Curtis was a member of the last group to attend Plymouth School as after his sixth grade students were transported to the Fielding School. At the final program of the school Curtis and Chad put on a skit. They made pasteboard tombstones for many of the members and in the skit told some comic reason why each of them was being buried.
Curt became interested in baseball and loved to play the game. (So now we know what magic brought Curtis and Bonnie together!) The four brothers spend many happy times playing ball down on the old school grounds with the church teams and in their own backyard.
While Curt was in the older room in grade school he began to take an interest in the piano. He took lessons for about three years and become a very good player. When he began attending priesthood classes at twelve he was put in as the priesthood organist, and held that job until he married and moved away.
Among memories of growing up are the camping trips to the canyons and fishing trips. The first real vacation trip was to Yellowstone National Park. There they stayed in cabins. The family will never stop talking about "mamma and daddy meeting the bear as they were headed for the bathroom and daddy beating mamma to the cabin." Of course mamma wasn’t so slow getting there either, and she locked the door in a hurry.
Curtis spent many happy hours with his brothers and friends hiking in the hills just above their home, sleeping outdoors on the lawn during hot summer weather, and going on scout winter campouts, usually to an old cabin northwest of town.
Curtis began helping Grandpa Starr and John on the farm, especially at haying time, often staying over there for several days at a time.  Grandma always saw that he was well fed and taken care of while he was there. (We remember Grandma Loretta’s chocolate cake and how good it was.).
During junior high and high school, Curtis learned to play the drums. He belonged to the marching and concert bands and became a member of a dance band at the high school. With them he went to Nevada, where they took first place in their division in competition with bands from all around the annual Stage Band Festival in Reno.
When Curtis was in his junior year at high school, he was given a part-time job evenings after school at the Utah Idaho Sugar Co. in Garland. From then on he worked every summer at the sugar factory, until his junior year at college when he had to go to Fort Lewis for R.O.T.C. training. When he returned he took a part time job in a service station in Logan which he held until his graduation from college. His last year in college he also earned a small amount as editor of the college paper.Curtis won a summer internship with the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, which he served upon his graduation from college in June 1970, staying on the staff until his entry into the army in March 1971.

Curtis gave an engagement ring to Bonnie Christensen

at the Junior Prom at Bear River High. They were married December 8, 1967 in the Logan L.D.S. Temple.
(If it wasn’t for Bonnie, Lanny and I may have never met. It was through her that we met on a blind date. Curtis was "best man" at our wedding, which was just a few weeks following theirs.)

Curtis was married and had a son when he entered the service in the Armour division. He went first to Kentucky where Bonnie and little Lance joined him. Later he was transferred to Ft. Benning, Georgia where he worked on an army paper. After his discharged, he became publisher and editor of the Tremonton Leader. Later they moved to Malta, Montana where he became the owner and publisher of his own newspaper.

He and Bonnie have raised a good family and have twenty-three grandchildren, which makes their grandparenting years a heap of fun.

We wish you a very happy birthday Curtis. Incidentally, thanks for the Montana Chocolate Buffalo chip.  Love, Lanny and Arlene