George Washington Luke Starr, the fifth child born to his parents, was named for the doctor who delivered him. He was born in Valley Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. In 1899, at the age of nine, George's family moved to Wickboro (later part of Kittanning). When he married, he and his bride moved next door, and started their family. That home remained his residence until his death.
Early in life he worked in a clay mine. Later, in partnership with a brother-in-law, he owned a neighborhood grocery. Although the store thrived for years, it eventually failed near the end of the Great Depression. Credit had been extended to too many customers who could not pay.
While still a grocer, he had been elected to Kittanning's Borough Council. Some time later, he was hired as Borough Secretary.
By the fall of 1962 it was evident George's health was sufficiently impaired to the extent it would soon affect his ability to continue in his job. All of his children urged him to retire. "What are you trying to do, kill me?" was his response to their urgings. He eventually took their advice and very reluctantly retired the first week of November in 1962.
Less than three weeks later, George Washington Luke Starr suffered a fatal heart attack while bowling with his sons. He is buried in Kittanning Cemetery.
Baseball was his greatest passion. Though never a gifted player himself, he was quite successful managing teams. He was the prime motivator of a nephew's major league pitching career for the Yankess, Browns and Orioles. In 1987 he was selected as a, posthumus, charter inductee of the Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame. His youngest son accepted the honor for him.
George Starr was a volunteer fireman with Kittanning Hose Company #6. Elected as the hose company's Treasurer in 1922, he was still Treasurer at the time of his death, 40 years later. His two elder surviving sons, were also members of the same hose company.
