Clyde Frederick “Starchy” Wade passed away Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at the Mississippi Veterans Home in Kosciusko. Funeral Services will be held at 11a.m., Saturday, January 10th, at First Presbyterian Church with the Reverend Dr. Martin Lifer and Dr. Freddie Rasberry officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Gardens Park under the direction of Welch Funeral Home. The family will receive friends in the chapel of the First Presbyterian Church preceding the service from 10:00-10:45 a.m.

Starchy was born in the Bell School House Community of Oktibbeha County, September 13, 1921, the youngest of 12 children born to Hugh Montrose and Minnie Leona Johnson Wade. He married Martha Davis Hartness on January 2, 1942. They were happily married for 73 years. He was a good and honorable man his whole life and held fast to his faith and hope in Jesus Christ.

He was preceded in death by his son, Clyde Patrick Wade, his 11 siblings, and his parents. Survivors include his wife, Martha Wade, his three daughters, Mary Martha Morgan (Wallace), Betty Hilton (Phil) and Carol Lynn Crouse (Keith) and 7 grandchildren, James Wade Morgan (Ardith), Doug Morgan (Laura), David Morgan, Kathy Snell (Steve), Jeremy Hilton (Renae), Zachary Hilton (Haley), Holly Blake Jacobs (Matt) and 12 great grandchildren.

Clyde “Starchy” Wade was raised at a time when life was hard for many but he benefited from his adversity with a desire to accomplish, which combined with his mathematical mind, led to his diverse abilities. Feelings of patriotic duty led to his enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1943. He served as an instructor pilot at Randolph Field, before going overseas in the C-46 to serve in Burma, India and China. His primary assignment overseas was known as “Flying the Hump”, the dangerous supply route over the Himalayas. After being discharged from the service in 1947 he started his dairy farm and home construction business. In 1968, he retired from the dairy business and began Starkville Fence Company in which his son, Pat, joined him in 1985.

His children liked to say there was nothing he could not repair and nothing he could not figure out how to build, including a rocket ship for one daughter’s junior class prom. He loved the challenge of making custom fence designs for his customers and enjoyed explaining to the professors at MSU just how to implement their ideas. Integrity came naturally to him, perhaps because of the influence of a very praying father. He also loved to tell stories about his military career and his unique upbringing and being on the 1941 Starkville High School Champion football team. Perhaps because of his austere early life, he loved to help those who needed a helping hand or were discouraged. One of his enjoyable activities in his 80’s was delivering for Meals on Wheels where he relished his opportunity to brighten someone’s day with a visit. He could tell a good joke and enjoyed people. He was a wonderful father and a role model of honor and integrity and a loving dedicated husband and he will be greatly missed.
Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 307 University Dr., Starkville, MS 39759 or Palmer Home for Children, P. O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703-9983.