Photo credit: Danny Fulgencio
Rodney Lynn Starkey, a beloved member of the Oak Cliff community, passed this week at age 73.
Starkey was a master technician for over 40 years, a solid member of AA for the last 31 years and was always willing to reach out and help those in need. He was a father, grandpa, son, brother, husband and a family man.
Starkey owned Starkey’s Service Center, which was started by his father nearly 57 years ago.
As written in an article previously published by the Oak Cliff Advocate, Starkey would spend one morning a week at a school in Forney mentoring students through Men of Honor. Otherwise, he arrived at the garage at 8 a.m., and worked to update and improve Starkey’s so that it could be here another 50 years.
Rodney endured plenty of hardship throughout his life, as he lost his son Rodney Starkey II, who the family called Little Rodney, in 1989. His mom, Linda, was active in the PTA. She died of breast cancer in 2009. Rodney and Linda’s elder son, Shaun Starkey, died in a car crash in 2015 at age 46. Rodney was remarried to Bobbie Strickland from October 8, 2021, until her passing on May 18, 2023.
“Rodney had a lot of love and a lot of heartbreak, but he was strong in his faith in Jesus Christ,” his obituary reads. “Rodney will be deeply missed by many friends and all who knew him. We know he is at peace and with the Lord and all of those who went on before him.”
