Bartholomew "Bart" John Starkey

Bartholomew “Bart” John Starkey, 89, of Westlake, VA, passed from this life Saturday, December 19, 2020, at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital following a brief illness. Bart was born November 26, 1931, in Kearny, NJ, the youngest of three children of James Francis and Marie Katherine (Delaney) Starkey. After graduating Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, NJ, he attended Villanova University in Philadelphia, PA. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1953. While at Villanova, he met the love of his life, Patricia “Pat” Anne Gallagher, from nearby Chestnut Hill College. They began their 65-year marriage on June 18, 1955. He was a Navy veteran, serving in the Navy at bases in Norfolk, VA, and Cleveland, OH, from 1955-1957. He remained in the Navy Reserve until 1967, when he left the service as a First Lieutenant. Bart began a career with E. I. DuPont de Nemours Company in Wilmington, DE upon graduation from Villanova. His DuPont career spanned 37 years, during which he secured several patents, including a process for the production of polyethylene. From Wilmington, DuPont transferred Bart, Pat, and family to Orange, TX (Sabine River Works), and finally to Vienna, WV (Washington Works). He retired in 1991 as an Engineering Fellow. After his retirement, he was devoted to Parkersburg (WV) Catholic Schools, investing countless hours installing the initial IT systems for student use; he was awarded the Bishop’s Cross for this work in 2002. Bart always enjoyed travel, and in retirement he and Pat traveled extensively both domestically and abroad, many times with his beloved sister, Mary Beth Purcell. He always wanted to see over the horizon, and so in 2003, he and Pat moved to Mariner’s Landing on Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake. He delighted in hosting numerous family and friends at the lake and on his pontoon boat. Bart was a devout, earnest, and humble family man. In addition to his wife, Pat, he is survived by his six loving children, Mary Beth (Joe) Dickey, of Clover, SC; John (Nancy McKitrick) of Snellville, GA; Katherine (Brad) Rings of Wirtz, VA; Neal (Stacy Hodges) of Roswell, GA; Thomas of Richmond, VA; Theresa (John) Moritz of Charlotte, NC; 12 grandchildren; and many dear nephews, nieces, and other close family members. He was preceded in death by one infant daughter, Margaret Mary, and one grandson, Joshua Neal Starkey. There will be a family funeral on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at Resurrection Catholic Church, Moneta, VA, with interment immediately following in the church cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, VA; condolences may be left at Burch-Messier.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made on Bart’s behalf to Resurrection Catholic Church Wednesday Women’s Group (resurrectioncatholic.org), Lake Christian Ministries (lakechristianministries.org), or Parkersburg Catholic Schools (parkersburgcatholic.com). A memorial mass and reception will be held once Covid-related restrictions ease. The family would like to express their appreciation to Runk & Pratt Senior Living Community in Westlake, VA, for the compassionate care provided to Bart over the last years of his life.