Stan Starnes

Erwin Stanley "Stan" Starnes, known professionally as the "maestro of banking," liked to joke that music and banking were both about notes. He died peacefully at home on May 28, 2026, in Greenville, South Carolina, at the age of 79.

Stan is survived by his wife, Cindy Weber-Starnes; sons Steven Starnes and James Starnes; stepdaughters Rae Blackledge (Brad Burge) and Kathryn Weber; grandchildren Oliver, Wesley, Finley, and Philip; and sisters Elizabeth Starnes (Lee Posthumus) and Meredith Curry. He was predeceased by his parents, Erwin Stanley “Steve” Starnes and Laura Buist Starnes.

Stan was kind, thoughtful, and giving. He grew up in a musical family in Greenville, SC where his mother played violin, and his father played trombone. Stan took to the piano and sang in the high school choir, and music remained important throughout his life. As an adult, he conducted church choirs and played piano at weekly Lansing Rotary Club meetings. Family and friends will fondly remember him playing “Happy Birthday” and playing carols at many Christmas gatherings.

As the self-appointed family historian, Stan ensured that descendants of the Reverend George Buist D.D. — who arrived in Charleston, SC in 1793 from Scotland — never forgot their ancestor's legacy of "distinguished abilities, profound erudition, and extensive usefulness." Stan also embodied these qualities.

Stan demonstrated profound erudition by earning four college degrees. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's in teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, then a doctorate in choral conducting from Indiana University, where he studied under the legendary Julius Herford. When his son Steven was born in 1978, Stan decided music alone couldn't provide the life he wanted for his family and returned to Indiana University to earn an MBA.

Upon graduation, Stan and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he began his banking career. He later joined Michigan National Bank and followed the bank through a series of acquisitions, ultimately spending more than 30 years in the industry. He served for many years as City President of Michigan National Bank in Lansing, Michigan. Stan was acknowledged for making other professionals who served with him better in all respects, both personally and professionally. His colleagues, customers, and his competitors will long remember his southern gentleman disposition. Stan took great pride in the positive impact his loans made in the community, and great pride that he never made a loan that lost money. Distinguished abilities indeed!

Stan's extensive usefulness extended well beyond the office. As chair of the Lansing Symphony, he helped guide the organization back to financial health in the late 1990s. The year he led the Lansing United Way, they exceeded their fundraising goal. He was a proud Rotarian for nearly 40 years. He also served the Lansing Chamber of Commerce, the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts, and the Michigan State University College of Arts and Letters. After returning to Greenville, SC in 2007, he continued his community service through the boards of the Greenville Chorale and SC Bach and served many years as his HOA treasurer. When he learned of an effort to erect a statue honoring Virginia Ulrich — the woman who inspired him to join the choir and nurtured his lifelong love of music — he joined the committee without hesitation. He was proud that it became the first statue of a woman in Greenville, SC.

During his semi-retirement years, Stan worked for the Greenville Technical College Foundation, raising funds and writing grants. He loved asking young healthcare workers where they had studied and lit up when the answer was Greenville Tech. Giving students opportunities, he believed, was one of the best things a person could do for a community.

Stan also had a love for challenge and adventure. He completed six marathons, three rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hikes, two 300-mile DALMAC bike rides, and countless backpacking and camping trips with his sons. He attempted to address nearly every camping discomfort with some gadget or cleverly devised method. He taught his sons to appreciate the wonder and beauty of the world. That same determined, focused, and stoic spirit defined his years living with Parkinson's disease.

Stan loved making something fun even better. When his grandchildren and young cousins dug a hole at the beach, he'd spend hours making it bigger. He was an advocate of both appetizers and desserts — and a firm believer in eating dessert first. At the opera and symphony, he loved to splurge on the best seats. This made him a fun husband, dad, and grandad. His family will carry on his legacy of distinguished abilities, profound erudition, and extensive usefulness - AND over doing fun.

A celebration of life service will be held at Buncombe Street Methodist Church, 200 Buncombe St., Greenville, SC, 29601 at 3pm on Friday, August 14. A reception for family and friends will follow at the house of Ida Hudson, 104 Aldridge Dr., Greenville, SC, 29607.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Greenville Tech Foundation at https://greenvilletechfoundation.org/donate/