SMITHVILLE-Maurice Gene Starr died Wednesday in St. Bernard's Medical Center. He was born October 19, 1928 in Memphis to the late Alfred M. and Bonnie Coffman Starr and graduated from Sloan Hendrix School in 1946. He later graduated from Arkansas State in 1950 with a degree in agriculture and received a masters in education in 1955 from the University of Arkansas. He also completed a specialist degree in administrative education in 1974. After serving in the Korean Conflict he was honorably discharged from the Army in 1953 as 1st Lieutenant. Mr. Starr taught agriculture at Fountain Lake School in Hot Springs for five years and served as superintendent for Williford Schools until his retirement in 1983. Survivors include his wife, Daphine Stewart Starr of the home, a son, Ben Starr and his wife, Karen, of Smithville, a daughter, Patti Russell and her husband, Gary, of Smithville, and four grandchildren, Josh Russell and his wife, Leslie, Sarah Russell, Nicole and Allison Starr. Services will be held at 10am Saturday at the First United Methodist Church in Smithville with Bob McMillon and Jerry Clements officiating. Burial will follow in the Coffman Family Cemetery with Josh Russell, Steve Jones, Jim Jones, Danny Rowsey, David Stewart and Curt Mason serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Burrow, Walt Neeley, Gene Pickett, Rickey Pickett, Jackie Pickett and Mike Pickett. Visitation will be from 6-8 Friday at McNabb Funeral Home in Pocahontas. Memorials may be made to Wayland Springs Camp or Lawrence County Library.