Marion "Mac" Starling

Marion (Mac) McCager Starling, U.S. Army SSGT-retired, passed away at Gundersen Hospital on May 22nd, 2025 at the age of 89. His devoted son stayed by his bedside until Mac was called home to be with the Lord.

Mac was born in Elizabeth Orchards, Arkansas to Roy and Edythe (Brumley) Starling on August 20th, 1935. He was the oldest of 5 children. When Mac was young, the family moved to Colorado and then back to Arkansas for a short period and finally to California where Mac graduated from High School.

After graduation, he immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army. During his time in the Army, while he was stationed at Fort McCoy, WI he met the love of his life, Shelby Blinston. They were married July 2nd, 1962 in Winona, MN and were married for 62 wonderful years. Shortly after, Mac was reassigned to Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, CO, and then stationed in Germany and back to Virginia. After arriving back in the United States, it was revealed that Mac and Shelby were soon to become new parents and moved to La Crosse, WI and they welcomed their only son James on January 22nd, 1967. During this time, Mac

was a traffic officer for the La Crosse County Sheriff's Department. Mac re-enlisted in the Army in 1969 and was then sent to Korea and the family moved to Florence and Copperas Cove, Texas where he finished up his 20 year career in the army at Fort Hood, Texas in 1977. This included 6 tours in foreign wars (Vietnam and Korea). Mac was very proud of his military career. Mac, Shelby, and James moved back to Wisconsin where he went to work for UPS for 24 years driving semi and later retired at the age of 65.

Mac had many hobbies throughout his life. Gardening and landscaping, photography, gun collecting, watching old western or military movies, old country western music album collecting, aviation and going to air shows as well as anything involving the newest technology. He also loved cars and going to many car shows with James. His love for being in the mountains reminded him of his childhood and again as newlyweds as well as his favorite hobby, his horse “Miss Match Me” (aka Mamma). This love brought about much traveling back out west as many times as he could and he shared that love with his son James. Mac always loved a good road trip. He loved spending many miles on the open road. He also enjoyed spending time with the people he loved, especially family. He loved researching and documenting his family's history on ancestry.com. He adored his son and his son's family and spending as much time as possible with his two granddaughters, who he held dear to his heart, Leeah and Morgan. Mac kept updated daily on everything that was going on with all of them and could not wait for Emily's holiday dinners and desserts.

James, Emily, Morgan, and Leeah would like to extend their gratitude to all the friends and neighbors that helped Mac out in his later years as well as his crew of buddies that made sure to let him know just how much he meant to them. Mac really looked forward to all of the breakfasts, lunches and many coffee meetings you all shared together. Your camaraderie, support, loyalty and respect is truly something of greatness and we will forever be humbly grateful for all of you.

Mac was preceded in death by his wife Shelby, his parents Roy and Edythe Starling, mother-in-law and father-in-law Delbert and Mabel Blinston, sisters Delores Sutton, Karen Pahl and brother Gordon Starling, brothers-in-law Wayne Blinston and Dennis Conner.

He is survived by his son James (Emily) Starling, sister Rita (Bill) Jaworski, sisters-in-law Pat Conner and Becky Blinston, granddaughters Leeah and Morgan Starling and many nieces and nephews.

A Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, May 30, 2025 at Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home and Cremation, Sparta.

Online condolences may be offered at www.schanhoferfh.com.

Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home and Cremation, Sparta, is assisting the family with arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marion "Mac" Starling, please visit our floral store.