Shelly Kay Starnes Garner Obituary (1961 - 2021)

Shelley (Shell) Kay Starnes Garner of Cypress, Texas, passed away August 27, 2021, at the age of 59 from ALS - she was just a baby really. Shelley was born December 1, 1961, in Houston, Texas. She was one of two children adopted by Larry and Ethel Starnes. Her father Larry often told her that he had 3 little girls to pick from when he went to adopt a daughter - he always said he got the 'pick of the litter". Shelley attended Spring Woods High in Spring Branch, graduating in 1980. Shelley graduated from Texas A&M University in 1984 with a degree in English. Shelley was extremely proud of being an Aggie and would talk about it often. After college, she taught English for Spring Branch Independent School District, but she was destined for greater things. She moved into marketing and ultimately oil services sales. Shelley was the only female pipe recovery sales representative in the US, most likely the world. She ended her career with CoorsTek selling engineered ceramic to the oil industry. Shelley was wicked smart for what many people often thought was just an English teacher, but Shelley was never "just" anything other than extremely special to everyone she met. Shelley is survived by her husband of almost 14 years, Christopher H. Garner, her stepson Nickolas H. Garner, his wife Maggie and their two children Caroline and Henry of Houston, TX and stepdaughter Pamela H. Garner of Austin, TX, brother David L. Starnes and his wife Laura, as well as her nieces and nephews David M. Starnes and his wife Emily, Samantha S. McInnis and her husband Matt, Katie Starnes-McDonnell and her husband Ryan, all of San Antonio, TX, her brother-in-law David N. Garner of Huntington, NY and sister-in-law Jean W. Garner of Prague, CZ. A Memorial Service will be held at Spring Woods Baptist Church, 10131 Emnora Ln, Houston, TX 77080, at 10:30AM, Saturday, September 11, 2021. A Shellebration and remembrances will be held at Juarez Mexican Restaurant, 2545 Gessner Drive, Houston, TX 77080, at 12:30PM - 3:00PM, Saturday, September 11, 2021. Shelley was most comfortable in casual clothing during her last few years due to ALS - please come to the service or Shellebration dressed as she would have come - casually. In lieu of flowers the family requests that a donation be made to Elijah Rising - https://www.elijahrising.org/ in Shelley's memory.