Peter Triscott Starling

Peter Triscott Starling was born the first of two children on March 29, 1945 to Mr. Leslie Starling and Mrs. Freda Smit Starling in Pretoria, South Africa. Leslie was originally from Britain and in the Royal Air Force. Freda was from a large farming family in South Africa and was an accomplished military nurse. Peter developed a “love for the land” at a young age as he and his parents lived on the farm. The family later relocated to England when Peter was a young child. His surviving sister, Judi, was born in England. Peter adored his sister and watched over her all his life. Peter would be quick to let you know, that growing up, his parents and sister lived on Air Force bases in Cyprus and Egypt. However, during those years, Peter was sent to boarding school in England. His boarding school stories were well known among his friends. In 2013 Peter and Glynn visited the school which has been operating for over 120 years. In about 1957 his father left the Air Force and the family moved from England to Rhodesia. Peter finished high school in Rhodesia and after completing military training he began working at Barclays Bank in a small town called Hartley. He was independent at a young age and developed a strong work ethic fueled by his never-ending supply of energy that he would always be known for. After a short tenure at Barclays Bank, Peter got a job as a farm assistant on a farm just outside Hartley. He worked for one of the most well-known Rhodesian parliamentarians, who he met while working in the bank – typical! He loved farming. He loved the freedom of the outdoors and the immense satisfaction of seeing plants grow from rows of seed beds to fields of mature crops. He progressed from Farm Assistant to Farm Manager and eventually owned his own 3,500-acre farm in Mtepatepa, a remote area in the north-east of Rhodesia growing tobacco, corn, and cotton, and had a herd of cattle. Living in these types of areas, like most farmers, he became an accomplished “jack-of-all-trades.” He learned to repair tractors, cars, motor-cycles, had a few electrical shocks in his life and learned from those too. He always had a few dogs that rode around the farm with him in the back of a pickup truck or hanging onto the front of a motor cycle. Nothing daunted him. If it had to be done, he found a way to do it. He drew house plans on a piece of paper, had the foundations dug, marked out the plumbing, had the pipes put in, and a house evolved!

In 1968, Peter and Glynn met at a braai (BBQ) at the farm of a mutual friend and were married in 1971. In Rhodesia, they would have two children, Gavin and Grant. The devastating loss of Grant, the political unrest and a bush war that the Rhodesian farmers particularly, endured, led the family to move to Houston, Texas in 1980. Later that year, their daughter, Kelly, was born.

In Houston, Peter immediately made lots of friends and acquaintances, many of whom from the South African and Rhodesian communities. He became involved with Houston rugby clubs and followed boxing, both sports he truly enjoyed. He also developed a love for cooking which according to Glynn, was out of self-preservation. He had to have several barbecue pits, rotisseries and all the gadgets that go with them. Socializing, Houston and Texas suited Peter’s big, friendly, hospitable personality. He loved Houston. He loved Texas. After 34 years, Peter felt he earned the right to be a Texan.

More recently, Peter and Glynn frequented the Red Neck Country Club “RCC” in Stafford, Texas. Once again, Peter embraced a large circle of dear friends. Every week Peter looked forward to a few Shiner Bocks, listening to country music, and a plethora of good folks at the “RCC”. All who knew Peter outside of the RCC were strongly encouraged by him to “come with us to the RCC!”. Peter couldn’t wait to take his sister Judi to the RCC on her recent visit from South Africa. He was truly the unpaid marketing representative of Shiner Bock and the RCC!

Peter’s bigger than life enthusiasm, sense of humor, out-going giving spirit and love for people and animals were admired and loved by all who knew him. His wife, Glynn; children, Gavin and Rosa Starling, Kelly and Darren Freeman and grandchildren, Adrian, Halle, Riley and Lars and his sister Judi were the joys of his life. He often said he would one day be reunited with his beloved son, Grant. He will be forever missed and remembered.