Obituaries

Julie Ellis Starr, 1948-2020

With profound sadness we announce the passing on Dec. 7, 2020, of Julie Ellis Starr. A former Mayor of Sherman, Julie lived with passion, conviction, and a commitment to public service. As one of those rare people who had true charisma, she could light up a room with her smile, the twinkle in her eye, her infectious laughter, and she always stood out with her impeccable sense of fashion. She will be missed deeply by her family and friends.

A fifth generation Shermanite, Julie loved her hometown. She was born at Wilson Jones Hospital in 1948, graduated from Sherman High School in 1966 and received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Austin College. While she traveled the world, her home and heart was always in Sherman.

That love of her hometown and a true call to service, plus a little political ambition, led Julie to run for City Council in 1982, where she served more than 10 years before taking on the role of Mayor from 1995-99 and again from 2003-05. As a very successful Mayor Julie believed in the importance of coalition building, community foundation, and never shied away from honest debate. Her tenure as Mayor has left a lasting legacy for the city of Sherman. In 2005, She worked closely with Governor Rick Perry to persuade Tyson Foods to open a 1,600-employee plant in the city in 2005. In 2001, she led the effort, with the help of Sherman native and Country Music Hall of Fame member Buck Owens, to renovate the Kidd-Key Auditorium at the Municipal Building.

Julie was a force in the community and truly believed her purpose was to serve others. She held leadership roles in organizations such as the Red River Symphony Guild, The American Cancer Society, The Crisis Center, Habitat for Humanity, International Women’s Club, Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Julie was also the first woman president of the Texoma Council of Governments and served on numerous boards.

An entrepreneur at heart, Julie had a successful interior design business. She was incredibly creative with a refined sense of style. With the eye of an artist, she could walk into a room and know exactly how to decorate it. Many homes in Sherman have been styled by Julie. She later used that creativity in marketing and development roles for Community Hospital and Landmark Bank.

Most of all Julie loved her family and friends. She was immensely proud of her children and relished the opportunity to spend time with them. She was a loving mother and grandmother who was always there when needed… whether that be from a last minute emergency or to give advice on what to wear.

Julie had a wicked sense of humor, but it was tempered by her empathetic soul. She was the first person to offer a helping hand to those in need. She made everyone she spoke with feel as though they were the most important person in the world.

Julie was preceded in death by her husband Ben Hill, her parents Dr. John and Ruth Ellis, her aunts Mary Virginia Gee and Edna King Guild. She is survived by her children: Brandon King Starr (and wife Laura) of Dallas and Virginia Starr Grubbs (and husband Steve) of New Canaan, CT; also her beloved granddaughters Finley and Ellis Starr; her brothers Johnny Ellis (and wife Julie) and Henry Ellis (and wife Flory); nephews John Ellis, Ben Ellis, Tommy Ellis, Henry Ellis and niece Flory Ellis.

The family honored Julie with a small private service but will have a larger celebration of her life when the pandemic has passed and the world is a safer place.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Julie’s memory to Meals on Wheels of Texoma and the general Austin College scholarship fund. The family of Julie wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the many wonderful and caring individuals of Hospice Plus and Pecan Point Assisted Living.