Arvelia Starling

Services are scheduled at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 19, at Bethel Baptist Church for Arvelia Starling of Artesia, New Mexico. Mrs. Starling, 79, died Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at her home. Pastor Thomas E. Ford will officiate at the services with burial at Woodbine Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Edward Mullen, Jimmy Taylor, Clarence Sentell, Phillip Lawson, Roy Lawson, and RC Perry. Visitation will be at Terpening Son Mortuary beginning at 10:00 a.m. Friday. Fellowship with the family will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Terpening Son Mortuary. Mrs. Starling was born January 18, 1929 in Rusk County, Texas; the daughter of Belton Johnson and Bernice Biggers Johnson. On Nov. 21, 1947 she was married to Preston Starling in Roswell, N.M. He preceded her in death August 1, 1984. She was also preceded in death by her parents Belton and Bernice Johnson, and four brothers Chester Johnson, James Ray Johnson, Mac Junior Johnson and Willie Arthur Johnson. She was a homemaker. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at a young age and was baptized at Union Springs Baptist Church in Mt. Enterprise, Texas. Shortly after moving to New Mexico in 1947, from Texas, she joined Bethel Baptist Church where she was an active member for over 50 years. She served as Sunday School Superintendent, President of the Usher Board, The Bethel Baptist Missionary Society, her own personal cake ministry and various other ministries of help. Survivors include her daughter Linda Starling of Los Angeles, California; sister Dorothy Henry of Alamogordo, N.M.; brother Charles Johnson of Los Angeles; grandson Michael Norris of Artesia; and great-grandson Michael Norris II of Artesia; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Her legacy: The best way to teach or mentor adults and children is through example.