Patricia Starr-Hebeisen

Patricia Starr-Hebeisen, of Tucson, Arizona passed away peacefully on December 6, 2025, at Peppi’s House (TMC Hospice) in Tucson Arizona. She courageously battled her autoimmune conditions and severe back issues for decades, and several months of chemotherapy treatments to combat metastatic lung cancer that was diagnosed this past summer, before joining her angels up in Heaven.

Born to William and Jeanne Starr on December 27, 1954, in Washington D.C. Pat traveled the world with her family as an Airforce Brat. After she was born, the family had small stints in Washington D.C., Germany, and Sacramento, before making a final stop in Tucson. She attended St. Joseph Catholic School for grade school, graduated from Rincon High School in 1974, and received her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Arizona in 1978.

Before working in her field of study, Pat worked as a lifeguard and also worked as a G.E.D instructor for several years. After graduation, she worked numerous jobs from San Francisco to Tucson, the last being as a scientist with Tucson City Water as an inspector and tester of water quality. She met her husband David at a party hosted by some lifelong family friends (the Baldas) and got married in the summer of 1989. Just a year after getting married, Pat and David welcomed their son Eric into the world, and she left her career as a scientist to focus on being a full-time parent. Once Eric started school, she served as a medical advocate to her parents and a few neighbors during their final years, had a few stints substitute teaching with St Josephs, and worked on her inventions.

Pat was a lifelong dog lover and always went out of her way to care for her favorite four-legged creatures. Whether it was finding a dog on the street and taking them into the local shelter or taking in a family friend’s dogs when the friend passed on, she almost always had a dog (or two, or three) at her side. This love of dogs was shared by Dave and Eric.

She is survived by her husband of 36 years David, son Eric (Karla), granddaughters Katya and Jeanne Claire, brothers William (Jo) and Richard (Terry), brother in laws Mark (Diane), Daniel (Tammy), and James (Susan), and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Preceded in death by father William, mother Jeanne, sister Susan, and sister in laws Julie and Rita.

A memorial service will be held at St Josephs church in Tucson Arizona December 17 at 9 am followed by a graveside internment at All Faiths cemetery at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Humane Society, Casa De Las Ninos, or Youth on Their Own (YOTO) in Tucson Arizona.