Starla Gae Doescher

We are saddened by the passing of Starla Gae Doescher, on August 16, 2024 at the age of 70 in her home in Bixby, OK. Starla was a loving sister, aunt and mentor, she will be sorely missed and always hold a place in our hearts.

Starla was born April 6, 1954 in Manhattan Beach, CA to Joseph and Erma Doescher. Starla spent her youth moving with her family first to Texas, then finally landing in Collinsville, OK during fourth grade. She graduated from Collinsville High School in 1972. Starla started her studies at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX; graduating from Trinity University with her Bachelors in 1976. Starla was married to Paul Westerfield for 11 years after obtaining her undergraduate degree. While attending University of Texas, Austin for her Masters in Library Information Services (MLIS), Starla was working for the Library at Trinity University, San Antonio, TX and commuting for classes. After graduating with her MLIS from UT Austin, Starla got a job in Acquisitions at the Library at the University of the Pacific (Sacramento) in Stockton, CA and moved in 1988 to Stockton. She travelled Northern California extensively and made many lifelong friends there. She worked at the Library at the University of the Pacific in Stockton for four years, before moving back to Oklahoma to take a position as Head of Acquisitions for the University of Oklahoma Libraries in Norman, OK. Starla would retire from the OU Library family in 2018, after 25 years there. She encountered many - students, faculty and staff - all who passed through her department remember her fondly. A few years after retiring, Starla moved back to the Tulsa area to be closer to her family, building a home in Bixby, OK.

Starla enjoyed travelling both with her work in academic libraries, and for pleasure. She enjoyed hosting holiday parties for the students, staff, and coworkers from the Library at OU before her retirement. She was beloved by all her acquisitions library family, and will be missed tremendously by those whose lives she touched.

After Starla retired, she enjoyed spending time and holidays with family, attending arts and crafts festivals, collecting antiques, reading voraciously, and spoiling her grand-nephew.

Starla is survived by her sister, Cheryl Moore of Jenks, OK; Niece Kelly Moore and partner Kyle Machulis of El Cerrito, CA; Niece Kari and husband Alan Bigelow of Tulsa, OK and Grandnephew Connor Bigelow of Tulsa, OK.

Starla was preceded in death by her parents Joseph M. Doescher and Erma B. Doescher of Collinsville, OK as well as her Brother in Law Maxwell L. Moore, Jr. of Jenks, OK.

A memorial service will be held at Collinsville Dolton Funeral Home in Collinsville, OK on Friday, September 6, 2024 at 1:00pm CST. Rev. Ryan Amey will be officiating.