Rev. Marlin Leroy Starnes, age 86, of Summerville, GA, passed away Tuesday May 8, 2012, at his residence. Rev. Starnes was born November 6, 1925, in Farlington, Kansas, the son of the late Rev. David Starnes and Fay Kern Starnes. Rev. Starnes came to Summerville from Delta Junction, Alaska, where he had been pastor of First Baptist Delta Junction, and started the first bus ministry at First Baptist North Pole, He was the 1st representative from Alaska on the Home Mission Board, a graduate of Tennessee Temple in 1966, former pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Cloudland, GA, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Desoto, Mo, Cove Road Baptist Church, Mentone, AL, A member of the Home Mission Broad of the Southern Baptist Convention, a veteran of the U.S. Army having served during WWII. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Beverly Marline Starnes Holbrook, a great-grandson, Joshua Marlin Hall, brother, David Starnes, JR, half sister, Juaneta Cain.

Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Neva Armstrong Starnes, grandchildren, Jimmy Holbrook of Cloudland, Tammy Cupp of Virginia, great-granddaughter, Alissa Hall, brother, Dennis Starnes, Lebanon, MO, sisters, Lola Rook, Lebanon, MO, Ruth Zymm, North Riverside, IL. Funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Georgia Time on Friday 11, 2012 at Cove Road Baptist Church in Mentone, Alabama with Rev. Pete Ruble and Rev. David Craven officiating with interment in the Mt. Olive Cemetery. Active pallbearers, Mike Cupp, Chris Drury, Shane Holbrook, Bobby Hughes, LeBron Holbrook, Ronald Durham. Honorary pallbearers, Men of the Cove Road Baptist Church.

Rev. Starnes will be in state at the Mason Funeral Home and the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday May 10, 2012. Rev. Starnes will also lie in state at the church Friday from 1:30 p.m. until service hour.