John D. Starnes

John D. Starnes, 74, of Leicester, passed away Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

Born April 19, 1945 in Jeffersonville, IN, he was a son of the late Charles E. and Reba Lefevers Starnes. John had lived in Buncombe County most of his life. He was also predeceased by two brothers, Tom and Bill Cartwright.

John was a graduate of Mars Hill College with a degree in accounting and operated his own Certified Public Accounting firm for many years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in the Vietnam conflict. He was a member of West Asheville Baptist Church where he had served as a deacon and on the stewardship committee.

Surviving are his wife of 52 years, Janice Gantt Starnes; son, Dr. Richard D. Starnes and his wife, Barbara; brother, Dan Starnes and his wife, Karen; sister-in-law, Irene Cartwright; two grandchildren, Emily and Nathan, whom he loved very much; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral Home, with Rev. Dr. Stan Welch officiating.

Interment will follow at Pisgah View Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to West Asheville Baptist Church, 926 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC 28806, or to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, www.cancer.org.