Thomas J. Starr passed into eternal life surrounded by the love of his family and friends on July 15th. Tom was born in Wilmington, DE; attended St. Elizabeth High School and graduated from Wilmington High School. He worked in the banking industry for many years and then attended Wilmington University and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Early Education. Currently he was employed at the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, DE as the Guest Services Supervisor and at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova PA, as the middle school girls basketball coach. In the past he coached many basketball teams at the grade school and high school level. He taught his players to “Never give up” and he followed that same advice during his 9-month battle with brain cancer.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Andrea M. (Shields) Starr; his parents, Edward J. and Mary C. (Swalkowski) Starr; his siblings, Michael (Kristin) Starr, Glenn (Cheryl) Starr and Carolyn (Tom) Riccio; his brother-in-law, Andrew J. (Carmela) Shields; and many nieces and nephews and friends. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Joseph and Mable (Horner) Starr and Joseph and Frances (Bojarski) Swalkowski.
A viewing will be on Thursday evening, July 21st, from 6 o’clock until 8 o’clock at McCrery & Harra Funeral Home, 3924 Concord Pike. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, July 22nd, at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Sixth and West Streets in Wilmington. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Brandywine Zoo, Penn Medicine, or Compassionate Care Hospice.
