Mary “Greg” Starr passed away peacefully Saturday, April 21 2018.

Greg was born March 18, 1922 in Wallingford, CT to Peter and Mary Janus Gregorwicz. She attended school in Durham, CT and received her registered nursing degree from Middlesex Hospital School of Nursing in reciprocity with Yale Medical School and Wesleyan Hospital. On her 21st birthday she enlisted in the United States Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Nursing Corps. Greg crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary to serve in World War II and arrived in England on D-Day.  She served as a nurse throughout the war at Blanford Airforce Base outside of London. At the conclusion of the war, she met Wayne R. Starr at the Officer’s Club in Blanford. By that time, they had both been advanced to first lieutenants in the US Army. They were married in Connecticut on December 15, 1945.  Together Wayne and Greg had two sons, Randolph and Theodore. They established their home in Hiawatha in 1947.  As a homemaker, Greg was instrumental in the First United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Women, was a Sunday school teacher and active in the choir. She was a member of the Hiawatha Hospital Auxiliary, the Mount Hope Cemetery Board, the HU Chapter of PEO, and a leader in the Boy & Girl Scouts. She joined the Board of Directors of Citizens State Bank & Trust after the death of her husband Wayne in 1972. At the age of 90, she joined American Legion Post 66 and VFW Post Number 7285. Her life was dedicated to the service of others as demonstrated by her nursing career, her church service and her giving spirit.  

 She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Jane Harpster, Helen Jones, Florence Gregorwicz, brothers John Gregg, Peter Gregg, and Walter Gregg, and her loving husband Wayne.

She is survived by her two sons, Randolph and his wife Nita of Loveland, CO and Theodore and his wife Paula of Hiawatha. Her five granddaughters Andrea Starr (David) of Portland, OR, Sarah Vives (Christian) of Reston, VA, Allison Clark (Brett) of Maize, KS, Lindsey Murry  (Brian) of Loveland, CO, and Marisa Starr (Curt) of Germantown, MD. Her four great-granddaughters Mallory Clark, Elsie Clark, Olivia Murry, and Sophie Vives.

Funeral Services are planned for 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at the First United Methodist Church.  Pastor Jacob Cloud will officiate.  Interment will follow at the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Hiawatha.  

Friends may call the Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Hiawatha from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the First United Methodist Church or the Mount Hope Cemetery and sent in care of the funeral home, 124 S. 7th St.  Hiawatha, KS  66434.

Online condolences may be made to www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com