Anna Ruth Atwell Starkloff Butts

Anna Ruth Atwell (Starkloff) Butts, 95, passed away peacefully at home in Edgewater, Florida on June 25, 2020. She was the youngest and only daughter of six children born to Hazel Mae Maze and Ireanous Emmett Atwell on January 16, 1925 in Franklin, Pennsylvania.

Anna was predeceased by her parents; five brothers; Wayne, William, Gaylord, Donald, and Lawrence Atwell, as well as her husband of 36 years, Thomas “Tom” Talbott Starkloff.

After 40 years living in Kensington, Maryland — during which Anna worked as the administrative assistant to the chief of pathology at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, MD. — she moved to Ormond Beach, Florida in 1976 with Tom. Not one to stay at home Anna took a job as the administrative secretary at Fish Memorial Hospital in New Smyrna Beach, FL., in 1977. She eventually worked her way to the position of executive assistant to William “Bill” Scheinder, the hospital’s administrator, until she retired in 1989. Anna was active with the Indian River Charter Chapter #1235 of American Business Woman’s Association where she served as recording secretary, vice president, and past president. After the death of Tom Starkloff on January 1, 1978, she met and married Charles “Charlie” Ellicot Butts in 1979 before moving to New Smyrna Beach, FL. The pair enjoyed ballroom and square dancing. Anna was a life member of the New Smyrna Beach Elks Lodge #1557 participating in the Elks Ladies Auxiliary and was twice named the lodge’s Elks Lady of the Year. After the death of Charlie Butts, she continued participating in numerous lodge functions with her good friend and frequent traveling companion Richard “Bob” E. Sullivan. A very independent lady right to the end, Anna continued to drive and played cards twice a week with friends. She also attended an exercise class once a week at the Council on Aging. She enjoyed cards, traveling, dancing and a good joke.

Survivors include her daughters; Barbara Ann Starkloff-DeLalla (Victor DeLalla) of Tamarac, FL. and Beverly Ann Kinney-Johnson (Mark I. Johnson) of Edgewater, FL.; three beloved grandsons: Robert Barry Kinney, Jr. (Amy) of Baltimore, MD., William “Billy” Thomas Sweeney-DeLalla (Vanessa), of Coral Springs, FL. and Brian Talbott Kinney (Samantha) of Spring Hill, Tenn.; nine great grandchildren; and one great, great grandchild. 

A celebration of life will be held at Settle-Wilder Funeral Home, 406 S. Orange St., New Smyrna Beach, FL. at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 26.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be given to the American Cancer Society.

A private internment is planned for family members in Maryland.

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