Mae Ella Christine (Eckwood) Starks

Mae Ella Christine Eckwood-Starks was born February 8, 1927 in Humnoke, Arkansas to the late Reverend William Eckwood and Hattie Bolden Eckwood. She was raised along side her seven siblings in Humphrey, Arkansas.

She attended Humphrey Public Schools where she graduated. She then met the love of her life and married the late Sipeo Starks on June 30, 1946, and to this union ten children were born.

Mae accepted Christ and was baptized at an early age under the leadership of her father Reverend William Eckwood at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. She was a Sunday school teacher, head of the usher board, and the kitchen cook under the leadership of Reverend GW Howard and later under Reverend Lonnie Burton for many years at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Mae later joined Life Changing Church International under the leadership of Pastor Fredrick Redus for the last fifteen years.

She was a loving Mother to her kids. Affectionately known to everyone as “Mama Dear”, Mae worked as a Home Healthcare Provider and a community mother for many years.

Mae was preceded in death by her parents, five brothers Thurgood, William Jr. (Oz), James, Aldophus, and Roosevelt; two sisters Clotile Lindsey and Lutisha Reams; a special daughter Bessie Mae Dexter, and husband Kenneth Dexter.

Mae leaves to cherish her memory her five sons Melvin Starks (Florence, deceased) and William Howard Starks, both of North Little Rock, AR, Robert Lee Starks and Michael Starks, both of Little Rock, AR and Rickey Starks (Burnestine, deceased) of Humphrey, AR; four daughters Marilyn Starks-Redus (Fredrick) of Sherwood, AR, Debbie Starks-Brown (Robert, deceased) and Sylvia Starks-Brown (Anthony), both of North Little Rock, AR, and Jennifer Starks-Davis (Steve) of Tallahassee, FL; 40 grandchildren; 80 great-grandchildren; special nieces Lavern McDonald, Linda Jones, Vickie Howard, and Deborah Wright; special friend Roseann Roberson, special friend and lifetime neighbor Elder Booker T. Wilson, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and neighbors.

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