Charlie Starkey, 53, died at 10 a.m. Sunday, February 14, 1960, in Adair Hospital in Clarendon where he was admitted Saturday night for treatment of a heart condition. Mr. Starkey had suffered a severe heart attack in September, but he apparently was making a recovery.

Funeral services were conducted at 3 p.m. today at the First Baptist Church of Welliington, Texas. The Rev. O.D. Holton, pastor of the Quail Baptist Church, and the Rev. House of Lela, officiated. Burial was in South Fairview Cemetery by Kelso Funeral Home. Pallbearers were nephews: Carel Morgan, Richard K. Martin Sr., Gary Starkey, James Starkey, Herman Morgan, and Howard Brooks. Honorary pallbearers were members of his Sunday school class of Quail Baptist Church.

Mr. Starkey, who had been blind for more than 20 years, due to diabetes, was chosen a few days ago to be the Salt Fork Conservation District "Comeback farmer" nominee in the annual "Save the Soil and Save Texas" contest. He operated his farm with the help of his wife and part-time employees.

He was born on October 30, 1906 in the Plymouth Community in Collingsworth Co., Texas, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Starkey, pioneers of the county. He graduated from Wellington High School in 1924 and attended West Texas State College, Canyon before starting a teaching career in schools near Muleshoe and at Rola and Houselog and in Collingsworth County.

He was married to Miss Camille Ravens on November 26, 1926 at Farwell. He then started farming in 1936. - at Divine and Goodnight before returning to Collingsworth Co. in 1945 to operate a Grade A dairy farm until two years ago when he converted his operations to beef cattle and hog operations. With rare courage, Charley Starkey refused to accept blindness as a handicap and did much of the heavy work about his farm, which included putting up buildings and the operation of machinery. He cared for his own livestock. He designed and built equipment to make his work easier and put up his own fences and stacked bundles. He had no special equipment, only that used by the seeing.

He was active in Quail Baptist Church, and several years ago while living at Wellington, taught a Sunday school class of junior boys. Survivors are his wife: one daughter, Mrs. David Davis, Jr., of Amarillo: five sisters Mrs. Pearl Brooks of Abernathy, Mrs. Henry Brown (Mable) of Levelland, Mrs. E. B. Morgan (Frances) of Perryton, Mrs .W. M. Boston (Tommie) of Goodnight, and Mrs. Raymond (Rose) Powell of Amarillo: three brothers, Bert of Shamrock, Grady of Quitaque, and Oran Starkey of Wellington, and two grandchildren.

Charlie Starkey attended West Texas State College at Canyon, Texas, and taught school for six years before losing his eyesight. He then took up farmng, raising livestock, and operating a modern dairy farm. In spite of obstacles, he was successful and was recognized as a successful farmer when chosen to represent the Salt Fork Conservation Farmer District as its nominee for Comeback Farmer in the state-wide Save the Soil and Save Texas awards,which was received by his wife after his death. He lived in Devine, Texas, where he started dairy farming in 1936. He moved to Goodnight, Donley County, Texas, farmed and had dairy cows until 1945 when he returned to Collingsworth County where he built up another dairy herd and farmed his land. Charley operated all his machinery with the aid of a seeing-eye dog, and refused to accept blindness as a handicap. He was active in the Baptist Church and taught a Sunday School Class for boys for several years. He was living on his farm near Quail, Texas at the time of his death.

He is survived by his wife, Camille Ravens Starkey, one daughter, Mrs. David Davis, Jr. of Amarillo; two grandchildren; and five sisters and three brothers; Mrs. Pearl Brooks of Abernathy, Mrs. Henry Brown of Levelland, Mrs. E. B. Morgan of Perryton, Mrs. W. M. Boston of Goodnight, Mrs. Raymond Powell of Amarillo. Bert Starkey of Shamrock, Grady Starkey of Quitaque, and Oran Starkey of Wellington.