Haywood Ray Starling

Haywood was born in Wilmington, NC on January 3, 1923 to Arthur J. Starling and Gabrielle King Starling. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Valyne Fales Starling, and six siblings, including Arthur J. Starling, Jr., Vera Starling Britt, William (Billy) Starling, Ruth Starling Taylor and Genevieve Starling Robinson. This makes Haywood the last of the Starling Family’s “Greatest Generation.”

After graduating from New Hanover High School in 1941, Haywood joined the WWII effort as a Quartermaster assigned to various US ships in the European and Mediterranean Theaters. He served his country well and received an Honorable Discharge from the US Army Transport Command in 1944 when the war ended.

In 1947, Haywood married Valyne Fales Starling and moved to Raleigh after being recruited from the Wilmington Police Department to join the NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) as a Special Agent. After 37 years of distinguished service in the SBI, he retired in 1985, with his last 10 years served as the first SBI Director to be selected from the Special Agent ranks.

Upon retirement from the SBI at age 62, Haywood formed a new consulting business, Carolina Forensic Science where he continued for the next 30 years to provide professional investigative and forensic expert services to clients nationwide requiring impeccable credentials and unimpeachable honesty. He retired this business in 2015 to focus on staying healthy and making sure his loved ones had his full attention and wisdom whenever needed.

Haywood was a kind and honorable man who served his country in harm’s way, loved his extended family and never stopped sharing his knowledge and possessions with those in need. He encouraged almost everyone he came in contact with to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, treat everyone with respect, take care of family and follow the Golden Rule.

Until three months ago, Haywood lived by himself (with some part-time help) in the same home where he reared his family since 1960. After a few unexplained falls and bruises over the past summer, he agreed to move to Morningside for a while to get his strength and balance back. Last Sunday, he was called to a higher duty in Heaven. Haywood will be greatly missed.

Haywood’s immediate survivors include his eldest son: H. Ray Starling, Jr and wife Pamela Garrison, of Kailua, Hawaii; daughter: Harriett Coley, of Raleigh; son: Ron G. Starling and wife Elizabeth A. Starling, of Raleigh; granddaughter: Jennifer Capps, of Raleigh; grandson: Brad Coley, of Raleigh; granddaughters: Cara Starling and Allison Starling, of Raleigh; and great-granddaughters: Georgia Coley, and Kimberly Coley, of Raleigh, and Jayden Piper, of Tennessee. He is also remembered by his nieces and nephews: Irene Britt, Jerry Britt, Joe Starling, Bobby Godfrey, Miriam Taylor, Billy Starling, Brenda Taylor, James Robinson, Julie Robinson, Sherryl Taylor, David Starling, Jeff Starling and John Taylor (deceased).

Visitation will be held at Mitchell Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 from 11am-1pm, with funeral services to begin in the funeral home chapel at 1pm. Interment, with Military Honors, will follow at Raleigh Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a favorite charity of your choice.