GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — Paul Robert “Bob” Starn, the last surviving brother who started Starn’s ShopRite stores, died at home June 26 at age 89.
Each brother oversaw one store or an aspect of running the chain, and Bob Starn operated the Absecon store for many years.
He also was the father of internationally known artists Doug and Mike Starn, the identical twins who worked together on projects involving photography, printmaking and sculptural installations.
Bob Starn was the last of 15 siblings born to parents Sophie Emma Hees and Charles Sheppard Starn in Pleasantville.
His uncle was Captain Clarence Starn of Captain Starn’s large, destination restaurant in Atlantic City, which was open from the 1940s to the 1970s and where visitors could feed captive sea lions, and go out on a fishing boat, speed boat or sightseeing boat.
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When his brother Harry, of Ocean City, died at age 84 in 2013, Bob Starn remembered the early days of Starn’s ShopRite.
“At one time or another, everyone worked in the business,” said Bob Starn, then 77. “But we wound up with six of the brothers running it from the 1970s on,” including Bob and Harry.
The family sold its ShopRite stores in 1986. By then, they had four stores — Absecon, Somers Point, Ventnor and Middle Township — and a fifth started in Egg Harbor Township.
They are now ShopRite locations owned by Village Super Market, Inc..
They were busy stores — enough to keep 1,200 people working, half of them full time, Bob Starn said at the time.
“We all did everything at one time or another,” he said.
Employees were sad when the family sold the stores, because the Starns were known as good bosses, they told a reporter at the time.
The brothers started the stores from their father’s produce business, Bob Starn’s obituary said.
“Starting his workday at 2 am, (Bob) drove the company’s tractor-trailer to wholesale markets in Philadelphia where he haggled with vendors to get the best produce for the family’s business,” it said.
He also designed and managed new construction and renovations for the growing business.
Born in Pleasantville in 1935, Bob Starn graduated from Pleasantville High School and joined the U.S. Air Force.
He married his high school sweetheart, Cecile Lu “Cee” Crema, the obituary said. They celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary last December.
“My sincere condolences to Mrs. Starn and family. Bob was a pleasure to work with and for,” wrote Linda Jones Walker on the Wimberg Funeral Home web site. “He truly cared about his employees and strived to make his customers happy. He will be missed.”
After retirement, Bob Starn helped the Absecon Methodist Church, of which he was a member, build a new sanctuary. He taught Sunday school for high school-aged parishioners and later led Bible study groups for adults.
He was a skilled cabinet and furniture maker, and made handcrafted pieces for the church, family, and friends.
When his brother Fred Starn died in 2016 at age 92, Bob Starn said Fred was in charge of advertising as well as being Starn’s president.
Fred developed the catchy Starn’s songs locals knew so well, Bob Starn said at the time.
Bob Starn was the last surviving sibling of his large immediate family. Brothers Charles, Fred, Jimmy, Harry, Don, Wesley, and Stanley and sisters Sophie, Lillian, Esther, Elsie, Betty, Peggy, and Cathy all predeceased him.
Bob Starn is survived by his wife Cee, daughter L. Shalini Bosbyshell and her husband Howell Bosbyshell, son Doug Starn and his wife Nancy Bressler, son Mike Starn and his wife Anne Pasternak, and three grandchildren Paris Starn, Jules Starn, and Gemma Starn.
There will be a private burial with family next week at the Absecon Methodist Church. A public memorial service will take place in the fall.
For info and condolences please visit wimbergfuneralhome.com.
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