of Mountain View, AR

September 25, 1942 - October 11, 2025

Kaye Ballou Starling died peacefully October 11, 2025, at her home on top of a mountain in Mountain View, Arkansas, surrounded by friends. She was pre-deceased by her parents Ennis and David Ballou, her son Warren (Ren) David Starling, her husband Jay Douglas Starling, and her daughter Jennifer Keyes Starling.

Kaye was born on September 25, 1942, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she (as soon as the second grade) formed lifelong friendships as part of a gang of five little girls. She attended Stetson University, leaving to marry the handsome Navy fighter pilot, Jay Starling. While Jay was in the service, Kaye finished her degree in California and managed to see Jay whenever and wherever she could. After his tour of duty during the Viet Nam War, they moved to Berkeley California where Jay obtained his PhD from the University of California Berkeley. Their next stop was Dallas, where Jay taught political science at SMU. The family (now including Jen and Ren) made numerous life-long friends during their time there, friendships which continued despite the family's journey from Dallas to California to Washington D.C. to Florida to California to Florida and finally to Mountain View, Arkansas. Kaye held fascinating jobs during most of their times at these places: she worked as a social worker with migrant workers in California, she was the coordinator of school field trip visits to the Aquarium on the state fairgrounds in Dallas (acquiring free close in parking and free passes during the annual State Fair of Texas), a parish secretary to her Episcopal parish in California (where she answered a call from a movie set and advised on how to dress a bishop), an employee of an association of lobbyists in Washington, and ending as a case-worker for the Ethics Commission of the state of Florida.

She was a lifelong learner, an avid reader (mostly of history and mysteries), a master quilter, always deeply involved with her church wherever she lived, and a loving friend to all she met. She was president of Stone County Abuse Prevention, a member of the Athena Club of Batesville, and an active part of the Mountain View Crazy Quilters

A Celebration of the Life of Kaye Starling will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 424 E Main Street, Batesville, Arkansas on October 28, 2025, at 3:00 pm. Memorial gifts in her honor may be sent either to St Paul's Episcopal Church or to Ozarka College PO Box 10, Melbourne, AR 72556, for either the endowment for culinary arts scholarships in the name of Warren (Ren) David Starling or the endowment for nursing scholarships in the name of Jennifer Keyes Starling.

Roller Crouch Funeral Home in Mountain View, Arkansas is in charge of the arrangements.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-Crouch Funeral Home
405 Peabody
Mountain View, AR  72560
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com