Edith Margaretha Starsja

Edith Margaretha Starsja, age 89, of Hopewell, Va. passed away peacefully surrounded by her family after a brief illness on November 30, 2016. She was the wife of the late Melvin Starsja. Born in Austria on March 9, 1927, Edith was a daughter of the late Anna and Johan Walleck. Edith was a survivor of WWII. When she was eleven, Hitler took over Austria and Edith spent her teen years under Hitler’s rules. After World War II, the trend was to participate in the Arts. Edith studied ballet and national dancing with a retired solo dancer of the Vienna State Opera. Edith met her future husband, “Mel,” in 1946 while he was stationed as an American G.I. in Vienna. Mel was transferred back to the USA in 1950 and volunteered for an assignment in Korea for six months. In the meantime, Edith applied for immigration to Canada and left Austria in 1952. She and Mel were married in 1952 and eventually moved to Massachusetts in 1954. Mel was transferred once again, this time, to the Azores Islands. Edith would follow him as this gave her the opportunity to obtain American Citizenship under the McCarren Act. In 1955, they returned to the USA and lived in Maine. They also lived briefly in Massachusetts, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Texas, and then finally in Virginia. With Mel traveling, and her children in school, Edith had time to study and began pursuing her education. By age 50, she had obtained two degrees: one in accounting and one in business management. As for ballet dancing, she gave it up for marriage, but took up belly dancing on a lark. In 1984, after working for Crestar Bank for five and a half years, Edith saw an ad in the Richmond paper: “Bank Examiners wanted.” She applied and got the job. She remained there for 17 years until her retirement at age 80. In celebration of her retirement, she took one final trip to back to Austria to visit her many friends and relatives, and to experience the Austrian lifestyle one last time. Edith was a remarkable woman who will be forever missed by her family and friends. Left to cherish her memory, Edith leaves behind children, Sylvia Starsja Hess (Mike) and Joseph Melvin Starsja (Michelle); grandchildren, Nina Starsja (Cullen), Rene Goode, Katarina Wittrien, Spencer Mason, and Hannah Wittrien; three canine companions; and many other relatives. In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her son-in-law, George Hess. A memorial service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the ASPCA. The family is being served by the Hopewell Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home.