Melva Jean Starr neé Underwood was born in Beattie, Texas on November 22 ^nd , 1937. She was the oldest of four children born to Andrew and Catherine Underwood. Born and raised in Texas during the end of the Great Depression and the era of World War II era, the family moved frequently before settling in Lubbock, Texas in the early 1950's. Jean was a talkative, out-going child. When her brother James was asked why he was so quiet, he responded that Jean did all of his talking for him. She learned to love cooking and sewing and took great pride in designing and making most of her own clothes. Over many years, her designs ranged from full circle poodle skirts to pant suits to evening gowns and, later, to clothes for her children.

Jean graduated from Lubbock High School in 1956 and began studying music and art at Texas Tech University which she would continue to study later at the Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts in Chickasha, Oklahoma and at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma.  She married Louie Nelson Starr in June of 1957, taking on the role of homemaker and, together she and Nelson had two sons. She worked for a time as a medical transcriptionist for the hematology department at Methodist Hospital in Lubbock before the family moved to Duncan, Oklahoma in 1965 where Nelson took employment with Halliburton Corporation.

In Duncan, Jean became heavily involved in church and civic activities. She taught children's Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at the Northside Church of Christ. She was active in various organizations such as Varied Arts, Savante, the local PTA, and served on the board of directors of the Duncan Boys Club. She had a life-long love of travel and when Nelson's employment led to the family living in Cambridge, England from 1972 to 1976, she relished the experience – developing a long-standing addiction to hot tea and a fondness for daffodils.

Following her family's return stateside and relocation to the Lewisville area of Texas, Jean continued to nurture her fondness for travel. Although she took great pride in being a mother and housewife, after her children left home, she became a certified travel consultant, working for two different travel agencies before opening her own, Travel by Starr, in partnership with her husband after his retirement. She herself was able to visit all fifty states as well as sixty-five foreign nations across every continent except Antarctica.

Beyond her enjoyment of travel, Jean had an abiding love for and dedication to the church. She and Nelson attended the Garden Ridge Church of Christ in Lewisville where she taught a children's Mission Friends class, participated in the 'Let's Start Talking' program, and where her lovely alto voice blended with others in joyous congregational singing on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights  for decades. She continued to participate in a wide range of political and social activities in Denton county but also took great interest in cultivating relationships with many of her neighbors. The utmost of her earthly love, however, was devoted to her husband Nelson. She kept him fed, clothed, and cared for over the course of more than sixty years of marriage until he was obliged to return that care as her Alzheimer's condition progressed.

Jean is survived by her husband, Nelson Starr of Highland Village, Texas, her sons, Dr. Paul Starr of Denton and Dr. Cole Starr of Tyler and their spouses, her grandchildren, Julia and Spencer Starr of Tyler, her brothers, James and Jesse Underwood of Lubbock, and her sister, Ann Skelley of Magnolia, Texas.

Funeral services for Jean will be held Friday, December 18, 2020 at Garden Ridge Church of Christ in Lewisville. Visitation will be from 10:00 to 11:00 with the funeral starting at 11. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park in Denton.