Margaret L. (Miller) Starkey (85) Rapid City, died Tuesday, July 27, 2021 at Sanford Medical Center and Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD due to complications after surgery.

She was born March 18, 1936 in Bison, SD, the only child of Cecil and Trean Miller.  Trean passed away when Margaret was only 11 years old.  She learned at a young age how to run a household.  She had told us she was going to be so happy someday to see her mom again.  We know that feeling very well now!

Margaret married her high school sweetheart, Selford Starkey, on June 5, 1953.   To this happy union, three children were born:  Ronald, Barbara and Michelle.  Margaret and Selford moved to the Rapid City area in the late fifties.  Selford worked as a salesman and eventual owner of Green Star Mobile Homes.  Margaret worked in the office.  When Ron and Janet purchased Green Star, Margaret was there working alongside them.  It became her social place for friends and relatives to meet up with her.

People that knew Margaret rarely said her name without saying Selford alongside it.  They did everything together.  They went on adventures and started many collections. The last few years she had a great time listing some of their treasures on eBay,

Collecting dolls was one of her passions and she belonged to the Black Hills Doll Club in Rapid City.   She looked forward to the club member gatherings, there were always many loved friends in attendance having great conversations.

Every other year Margaret looked forward to joining her daughters on a trip to Wisconsin to visit their family friend who became a family member long ago, Vivian Unversaw.   The trip was a chance to have an outing with the girls, with many stops along the way.  She also looked forward to the monthly bus trips with her friend Phyllis.  The annual rummage sale was not only a time to NOT make very big bucks, but was a time of getting together to visit and organize junk.

Margaret had some amazing neighbors, they were more than just neighbors, they were great friends always looking after her.

When Margaret was home watching her favorite tv shows, her hands were always crocheting beautiful doilies or colorful afghans.  At Christmas time, she took great joy in making dolly afghans wrapped around a doll with a bow on them. She donated them to The Corner Stone Rescue Mission for little kids.  They looked forward to her delivering her dolly gifts every year.  She was known as the "doll lady" to the employees.

Margaret had a very green thumb too.  She always had such healthy plants in her home and loved to put Geraniums out in front of her house.  Not only did we all get to enjoy them, every now and then the deer did too.

Margaret loved the special occasions that were spent with the family, and especially loved spending time with the Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren.  She was the rock that held the family together.

Margaret is survived by one son and two daughters:  Ronald Starkey and his wife Janet of Box Elder, SD, Barb Delzer and her husband Ross of Belle Fourche, SD, and Michelle Garcia and her husband David of  Parker, CO;  six grandchildren:  Laura (Dan) Kapellusch of Highlands Ranch, CO, Tim (Tami) Starkey of Rapid City, SD,  Jill (Reynold) Ferdinand of Spearfish, SD, Brandon (Lisa) Delzer of Spearfish, SD,  Ashlee (Bret) Kleber of Castle Rock, CO,  Alex (Bri) Garcia of Las Vegas, NV and 10 great grandchildren; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bob and Venita Starkey, and sister-in-law Mavis Even; numerous nieces and nephews, and many special friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband Selford, her parents Cecil and Trean Miller, and a step-mother Frances Miller.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m.  Wednesday, August 4 ^th , 2021 at Calvary Lutheran Church, Rapid City, SD. Masks "may" be required.